Removing Blinders

We are blind to so many things, sometimes intentional, but sometimes not.  “It's right in front of your eyes,” but because of inattention blindness (when distracted or misled) we can miss the obvious.  Have you ever searched everywhere for your keys, sun glasses, or cellphone, when they were right in plain sight, on your head, or in your pocket?  Your preconceived notion of where it is, where it ought to be, or where it would never be, become blinders as to where it actually is, and we overlook it.

I intentionally wear blinders by not watching movies with violence, sexual exploitation, animal abuse, and excessive profanity.  I don't want to subject my eyes, brain, conscious, and memory to that stuff.  But I also tend to turn my eyes away from (or turn a deaf ear to) the problems our society has with all of these issues, along with racism, poverty, disease, drugs, and war, to name a few more.  These atrocities only become apparent when we remove our blinders.  We can't help towards fixing a problem if we can't see it.  The saying 'You can't see further than the end of your nose,' means that you are so preoccupied with yourself or your problems that you are unaware of, or indifferent to larger issues, problems, or other people.   

Another saying, 'Can't see the wood for the trees' refers to a situation in which a person is so obsessed with the minor, insignificant details (the trees) that they can't see the bigger, more important picture (the wood).  In a sense, they have a different type of blinder on.

Ignoring the obvious 'Elephant in the room' -  occurs when people intentionally put on their blinders and avoid someone with a pronounced problem or who presents a difficult situation that people do not want to talk about or acknowledge.

Blinders also often prevent us from seeing miracles.  This again, is because of  inattention or preconceived ideas.  Removing blinders is helpful (needed) in so many different situations.

Saturday 4/18 - It was Joe's 68th birthday.  At our age, we almost don't want to count another year, so we put on blinders to the aging process.
  
I hadn't checked on the Carolina Wren nest in probably a week because I didn't want to frighten her off the eggs when it was so cold outside.  Well, this is what I saw in the nest when she flew away.


Maggie and the cats (Styx is on the dog bed, but rolled over into the shadows when she had gotten too warm.) were all enjoying naps in the sun.


Babe



Monita







Stevie on the couch.






I decided to join all my fur babies, and read (my body in the sun and book in the shadow).  Soon Stevie came over to join me.

The pink flowers are on the  plant I brought home from the pool last fall.  They were able to survive the winter because it was mild.  A week ago I added the orange marigolds.
I didn't do squat all day, never took off my pjs, only went outside for a second walk with Maggie, no projects and no exercise.  I did make Joe birthday brownies, and then help eat some, while we watched Phantom of the Opera.

Sunday 4/19 - Stevie fell asleep in my lap with her head on my arm while I was here at the computer.  It was almost a totally non productive day again, but I finally went out at 2:00.

Joe had gone hiking, and we had forgotten about our group chat session.  Also, because Courtney was busy, we moved it back (later in time) to it's usual 4pm.

There was not time to start a landscape project with rock or moss garden, so I just continued dredging the creek.


I came in a few minutes late for our 4pm chat, but Joe said no one had joined the group.  So we decided kids were busy or not interested, and assumed it was cancelled. 





Well, as it turns out, Joe had the wrong time zone.  Since none of us were able to coordinated on a time, the chat never happened.  I had made the decision to cancel it, but later felt bad about it.  I missed seeing and hearing my kids, sister, and Mom.

More evening TV time together and I had to take this photo of Monita's cute little feet, the way they were crossed.

Monday 4/20 - The trees are really greening up and the woods getting denser, which makes our house more difficult to see.  The dogwood still hold their blooms and birdsong fills my morning.  I watch chipmunks scamper around and deer, duck, and squirrel come to feed on corn.

I read and napped in the sun for a few hours and then set to work cleaning more muck out of the creek.




I found this crayfish in the process, and turned him loose in a safer spot.














You can see the day's work (the darker, raked area) on the sand bar.  As I pull gunk out, some of it is spread over the sand bar.

I read until lights out because my books is coming to an exciting end.

Tuesday 4/21 - Mr. Hawk was down back hunting just after sun up.  See him/her perched on a branch in the center of the photo?

At 9:40 Joe and I meet Yvonne and caravaned to the trail head in Hebbertsburg and hiked part of the Cumberland Trial.  She brought her big lab Dakota who enjoyed the hike with Maggie.  They raced back and forth on the trail, checking in with us every few minutes.  Seen here, we are looking out over the overlook cliff.














Soon after we had started out, I heard Dakota racing down the trail behind me, coming towards me.  I stepped to my left to get off the trail and out of her way.  At the exact same time she was going around me on that same side.  She ran right into me at full speed, knocking me off my feet and hurting my ankle.  I ‘walked it off’ for a few minutes and then it seemed okay.  We completed close to four miles of hiking, enjoying the beautiful day and chatting.




The drive through the woodland country side, to get to and from the hiking trail, was pretty.  I took this photo of a dilapidated barn, thinking of sister Carol who posts many such photos on her blog.

Once home, I changed into shorts and tank top and went out to read on the lounge chair in the sun.  Two hours later, I had finished my book.  When I stood up to go inside, I could barely put any weight on my foot.

I had planned to ride and hoped walking would make my ankle feel better, so into barn clothes and boots, and off I went.

I was glad to see the horses were already in, so I wouldn't have to walk far to get Amiga.

Patty gave Zorro a treat and then brought him into the cross ties for grooming.


My ankle hurt so bad, I didn't even mess with Amiga, but came right back home.   I wondered if I had sprained it.




When I got home, as advised by four of the gals at the barn, I took acetaminophen (didn't have any ibuprofen), wrapped my ankle with an ice pack, and elevated it the rest of the evening.  I was really worried my ankle was badly injured and I might have to stay off of it for a few weeks.  It is bad enough being in 'lock down' but to not be able to ride, hike, or do yard work would be unbearable.
A pain sleep aid was taken at bedtime.

Wednesday 4/22 - I had slept well and woke with my ankle feeling a lot better.  I could put weight on my foot without too much pain, although it was still tender.  So I decided to 'baby' it a while longer.


I iced and elevated my ankle while here at my computer and took ibuprofen (which Joe had picked up at the store).




But soon I was restless, I had started a new book and played plenty of games on my computer, but I can only sit for so long.  So mid afternoon I went to the barn.  The geldings were already wanting to come in for their feed.

Once I had Amiga collected and tacked, I rode leisurely around the barn yard and let her graze quite a bit.  About an hour later Jan came and was soon ready to hit the trail.



Jan and I had planned to ride the long trail together.  We hit lots of rock in one part, but proceeded slowly and carefully down the trail.  But at our first creek crossing, there was so much debris in our path and this was just one of seven places the trail crosses this little creek.  We debated working our way across the creek, but could only imagine what obstacles might lay ahead down by Daddy's Creek.  So we turned around and rode back to the barn.



Horsing around in the barnyard area was our only option, so that's what we did.  Amiga was getting impatient, wanting to go to the barn, and started acting up.  She would hop and spin when we started heading away from the barn, or stop dead in her tracks and not move, but when we turned to ride towards the barn, she would start to race instead of walking calmly.  I ended up going back to the barn to get a crop and went back out in the front field.  When needed, Amiga got smacked on her rear end to get her to move forward, away from the barn. 

When I finally got some compliance out of Amiga and had her walking fairly calmly towards the barn and turning and walking away from it, I stopped, got off, and praised her.  I lead her back to the barn and untacked in the cross ties, and then left her to stand there for probably 15 minutes.  She was not going to get the immediate reward of grain in her stall. 

I fixed spaghetti for dinner and Joe and I watched Survivor.  I decided to go ahead and ice and elevate my ankle because it was still swollen and tender.  But really, it didn't hurt that bad.


Thursday 4/23 - Rain had moved into the area overnight and continued off and on all day and through the following night.  I took a trip to town from 8-11 while Joe took advantage of the professional stylist doing haircuts at Wildwood for barn family.

After putting away nearly $200.00 worth of stuff from Walmart, I pretty much goofed off the rest of the day.  I had cut my morning computer time short, so hung out there for a few hours.








I took Maggie on a walk which ended early because of rain.  While trying to make a dash for home, I discovered my ankle was too sore to jog on, so we got wet. 

This large tree had fallen part way down several months ago and I could tell it was hollow.  But now that it is completely down on the ground, I could see how big the hollowed out area was.  It also appears chard and must have been struck by lightening. 

Laundry, dishes, and a kitchen scrub down occurred before, during, and after dinner.  Joe and I watched two episodes of Blue Bloods.

Friday 4/24 - The morning wasn't as cold as the past several, but it was still quite damp out, and actually rained a few times.

My lack of motivation was at an all time high.  I don't think it's because of depression, cause I was happy just to be a bum and read much of the day. 


I picked a new spot to sit and read, up in the balcony.  It was a nice change of scenery.  I am reading a Karen Slaughter mystery - Faithless.  I learned that edamame (which I like to snack on) is young soybeans, picked while still green and tender.  I knew it was soybean but didn't realized they are just immature, young ones.

I moved down to the couch in the sun room because I was getting sleepy, and sure enough, I took a nap.

I did some dusting and vacuuming, along with the daily chores, and each cat got a good ear cleaning, but that was it in terms of being productive.

A gratitude jar is a good way of removing blinders and seeing all the blessing we have.

Courtney accidentally locked herself (and phone, wallet, and keys) out of her condo, but this enabled her (made her) have to go meet her neighbors, which actually turned out to be a good thing.  She has many nice, helpful people living near by.
I am very thankful my ankle injury was no worse than it was and that I will be back to normal usage of it in no time.