Living in a retirement community is certainly an interesting experience.  We have residents ranging in age from 62 to 103!  Too many people to really get to know and since I enjoy my little nest - my own private apartment so much, I hardly get out to any of the activities that are provided for residents.  However, I really do miss having a direct access to the outside.  Now, I have to walk down a hall, take an elevator to the first floor before I can go outside.  However, there are large windows that make it seem like I am outside when the weather permits their being open.  That helps.  Otherwise, all I need is handy and since I am still driving, I can get to where I want to go quite easily.  There is a community (gay) gathering place (a bar) just a mile "down the road a piece" as it is said in the deep south and that affords some interaction with my own community.  However, I hardly get there unless I have out of town company.  Attached is a picture of my home building.

Deep South

After 2 1/2 years of three moves (one half way across the country), two more major surgeries, getting acquainted with my grandchildren, having my computer crash, etc., etc., etc, I am finally back in the land of the living.

I grew up in the deep south and am back home now and having to get reacquainted with the nuances of the deep south.

Today, I am reminded of how much I loved the Spring time as a kid.  Very cool mornings, warming up by the middle of the day to get outside and enjoy the blooms and birds and people.

Hopefully, I will attend more carefully to this blog as time goes on. The picture is of a park just up the street that I try to get to as often as possible.

Bro. Hardy

New Life

Wow! After three hospitalizations and two major surgeries and retirement and a move of my domicile, I am finally back in the land of the living. I now can welcome the sunrise and feel the excitement of living once again. Not that anyone notices on this blog. It is still not seen by very many people. Yet, at one time, it was a happy expression of what was going on with me. I am hoping that I will be able to post on a more regular basis.

I really enjoy reading some of my favorite blogs every day and have not given that up, even though I have been absent from my own blog for such a ling time.

I will be posting the happenings over the last year or so as time goes on. So, to anyone who is interested, I, for one, am welcoming me back!

Bro. Hardy

Bell

There is an artist in the quaint little mountain town of Truchas, NM that makes artistic things out of recycled materials. One of the things he makes are wind chimes and temple bells - often out of discarded oxygen tanks. Having been a patient on oxygen for some time back '06, getting one of his bells both as an object of art and a symbol of my healing and no longer needing to be on oxygen, I got one this week. I have been coveting one for two years now and finally had the opportunity to visit Truchas and brought one back with me. It is now planted firmly in the yard just outside a tiny patio I have and the sound is deep resonating gong when the clapper hits the side of the bell.

Bells have always had special meaning for me, for whatever reason - now I have my very own.

Bro. Hardy

Welcome!

Welcome Goyo! After a year has passed from my losing my precious Paco and poor old Ava having passed, I went to the pound and found a "little old man" Chihuahua. He was found in a neighborhood, lost and disoriented and had never been "chipped" neutered nor seemingly any other vaccinations given. After his surgery on Thursday, I picked him up on Friday and he has hardly left my side since. He has been well trained, knows what a doggie door is and is thoroughly a lap dog.

Here's hoping we have a few good years together.

Br. Hardy

They're baaaack!

One of the delights I have had living in a rural setting has been the Hummingbirds that come around. On the second Saturday in April, I got out my feeders and cleaned them and filled them with nectar and hung them up. It took two days before one of the little buggers found it and now several visit all day long. And the wars have started. Hummers are very territorial and often fight over certain feeders. I have three hanging off the porch and they have their favorites. Favorites that seem to change from time to time. It's so interesting to see which one they will empty first. So far, two of the feeders are running neck and neck in being favorites.

Ah, the delights of nature!

Bro. Hardy

First Sign of Spring

As I sat placidly reading some bit of fluff this morning, I began to hear a strange sound. I put y book down and strained my ears toward the sound which by now had become something of a noise. It reminded me of the sound of geese flying south for the winter which I got to observe several ties last fall. I grabbed y little Kodak digital camera and ran outside and sure enough, there were hundreds of geese flying formation toward the north and chattering away. I was able to snap this picture just to prove that what I saw was what I saw.

Spring must not be far behind.

Bro. Hardy

Bygone Times

While there are still some of these structures that dot the landscape, this one is being torn down today. It was on my property and every time I looked out the window, there it was. I know that for some people, it is a structure of whimsy, but for me it is a cold and scary reminder of my childhood. The first house I recall living in had no electricity nor running water and the structure "down the path" was a foreboding and scary place. Often there were snakes and always there were insects and spiders!

In gratitude for indoor plubing!

Bro. Hardy

Christmas

It would seem that my life stopped at Thanksgiving, but it didn't. I had the privilege of visiting sister Modine and her brood (5 grand nieces and nephews) some 2000 miles away for the Christmas Holidays. I think it has been at least 25 years since I had been around children at such a time. It was a wonderful experience and one that I will cherish for a long, long time.

But how different things are now than when sister and I were children. The toys are so much more complicated and expensive now. And because they are usually electronic ones of some sort or other, the kids have their noses in them all the time. I hardly had a conversation at all with any of them.

Bro. Hardy

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is supposedly a national holiday originating with the Pilgrims in the new colonies. There are more than one original claims to a national day of giving thanks that can be found on the Internet. For me, it is a special day in that several people gather in the mountains with some Native American friends and have our own special Thanksgiving.

The first one I attended was so moving in that the spiritual leader of one of the local Pueblos (villages) gave thanks in his native tongue. It was so moving, I was brought to soft tears. It has been a special experience of mine to have friends in the native peoples community and to be able to be invited to participate in various ceremonies that few white people get to even see.

So, this Thanksgiving, I am grateful that I get to participate in the sharing of food with the native peoples. They are special and we must never forget that they were the first peoples in this great land.

Bro. Hardy