Yah, it's Friday

 Happy Friday and happy weekend ahead.

It's been a busy week of errands and trying to find this and that for upcoming birthdays and projects so I'm a bit late with posting.

I captured these sky shots in early morning hours. I'm actually a night owl as that is when I seem to get more energy to do things but I do love to see the sky and feel the cool air in the very early morning hours before the city gets loud and busy.

 

 

 

 

My herb garden is overgrown. Too hot to cook. I guess I should freeze some.

I've slowed down reading but I have a number of books to keep me busy. I'm reading a little out of each one and hope I can finish them all before they are due at the library or unavailable for further renewals. I also picked up these magazines awhile ago. I seldom buy magazines any more but I'm sure I will enjoy them. I especially love looking at nicely decorated spaces and beautiful gardens. It relaxes me.

 

Last weekend I did a lot of meal preparation and batch cooking for the week. It was lovely since I've been feeling rather tired. It enabled me to focus on my errands and a few other things instead of cooking every day.

In the Kenyan mission field, Pastor Jonah has been kept busy with Livingstone's leg issues. Livingstone has been back to the doctor several times for follow up, had his cast redone numerous times and had multiple x-rays done. His leg is not healing very well but then again it's only been just over a month.  I have tried to insist that they stop redoing the cast and expecting Livingstone for such frequent follow-ups but that is how they do business at Kenyan hospitals. In the west that doesn't typically happen since it takes months for leg fractures to heal properly. We'll see how it goes moving forward.

There has been an outbreak of Covid 19 in various parts of Kenya due to mass political gatherings that were held weeks ago.  Certain communities have been hit hard including the one where we focus the missions work, the town of Kericho and surrounding villages.  It means curfews and restricted travel are again in place in much of the country.

Regular readers of this blog will already know that Livingstone has had Covid but was able to recuperate at home with prescribed medicines. Ernest, the other man that had a broken leg, had been hospitalized for weeks but is now okay. 

There is a woman I am concerned about. Her name is Rose. She is 52 years old and several months pregnant. She landed in hospital with Covid like symptoms and ultimately tested positive for Covid. She has been in a small hospital for almost 2 weeks and in need of a great many medicines (I have no information on how these might affect the unborn child).

Another younger woman named Joyce was admitted to hospital with pneumonia like symptoms and later tested positive for Covid.

All these needs at once are stretching my resources since I also try to help certain households with regular food and  helps, 

If any of you are so inclined to help out please feel free to reach out to me. I can be reached at kerichojoy[at]gmail[dot]com. Pay Pal donations can also be sent there. If you experience any problems kindly let me know. I've heard of two people now over several months who have had problems sending donations. They were ultimately successful after trying several times. I could also send you a payment request through Pay Pal if you send your email and how much you would like to donate. I thank you in advance for considering the needs.

~~~

I tired myself out this past week by going out almost every day for hours at a stretch. I'm not used to that at the best of times.  So this weekend I hope to catch up to some chores, some reading and some rest.

~~~

Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your week ahead. 

I'm linking up with Skywatch Friday.

Tuesday 4 ~ Blogging

Welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 kept up in her memory.  This week the questions were supplied by Pamela Steiner.  Thanks Pamela and thank you Annie for keeping the meme going.

 

 

 1.  Tell us about your blog.  When did you start blogging?

My blog is about the simple things in life and later I also blogged about the charitable work I do in Kenya, East Africa. I started blogging in 2009 as a way to keep myself occupied with fruitful things, maintaining a simple life and sharing photos.  My brother set up my blog as it was all 'Greek to me'.  I started looking for simple and beautiful things to share and it also became like a diary of what was going on in my life. Mostly it was a way for me to keep focussing on joyful and happy things as a way to deal with  health issues that I am dealing with though I did not want the blog to be a daily journal of my illnesses. I was in fact trying to take my focus off of illness. At one point I deleted many blog posts (perhaps about 100 or more) though I can't remember the reason why. I think it had to do with the watermark on photos. I didn't like the look of them or something like that. I didn't delete them all.

 
2.  What prompted you to begin blogging?

I started blogging because I had time on my hands due to medical leave. I was looking for something constructive to do that would help me keep in the right frame of mind for healing.  I worked on keeping the blog positive and in those days blogged about simple things and beautiful things. I had a lot of trouble with concentration and I would publish a post only to discover many problems with my writing and grammar. I would then correct my errors and republish only to discover yet more errors and so on it went until I got it right. That still happens but not nearly so often.

3.  What was your first blog about and why did you choose that subject/title?

The first blog post published (April 2009) is a post about the beauty of nature. I created a short video and haiku verse to accompany it. I chose the subject because like I've already mentioned, I was focussed on beautiful things.  I wanted to use some beautiful, relaxing music in my short video. I'm not sure if the video and photos are still on the blog because so many of my posts are 'missing' photos (I'm embarrassed to look back over how the blog now looks in the earlier days). I'm unsure why but it probably has to do with photo storage issues and there are a number of things impacting on what I do going forward.
 
4.  How has your blog changed over time, and has it done for you what you hoped it would do in the first place?

My ability to concentrate has improved over time though my general health has not really improved.  I no longer feel that my original purpose for the blog has remained the same because over time it has expanded to include daily life, family, hobbies and philanthropy. I may ultimately stop this blog and start a new one. From time to time, I consider whether to continue with the blog. I feel everything has stagnated both with the reach of the blog and the things I blog about.  I should clarify that I do feel the blog served it's original purpose and that is one reason I may stop the blog and start another down the line. The blog isn't a legacy blog for family to look back on since I don't ever post photos, or very seldom have posted photos about myself and my family since this was never the focus.  The decision about what to do about the blog may be forced on me sooner than I care due to photo storage space nearing the limit. I don't want to pay Google storage but right now it is the easiest thing to do. The other options are not things I can do right now for various reasons.  There is so much in the air at the moment and when things are up in the air I tend to leave the decision until things are more clear.

Thank you for stopping by. Sorry I am late with the post. 

I somehow missed a day this week!

Linking up with Tuesday 4

A Beautiful Friday

It is very early in the morning around 4:45 a.m.

It feels so nice and fresh after the intense heat of the past week and some days.

 Joining in with Skywatch Friday. 

Thank you for stopping by.

Tuesday 4 - That's Entertainment

 Here is to another week of Tuesday 4 in memory of Toni Taddeo.

1. Do you have an actor or actress whose movies you hate to miss?

I have a few actors and actresses whose movies I try to see when they make a new one. Here they are in no particular order:  Meryl Streep, Meg Ryan, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Daniel Craig, Dame Judi Dench, Helen Mirren,  Cate Blanchett, Nicole Kidman, Natalie Portman, Angelina Jolie, Zoe Saldana, Chris Pine, Viola Davis, Regina King, Denzel Washington, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Octavia Spencer, the late Chadwick Boseman, Daniel Kaluuya. Kate Winslet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Diane Keaton. That's a lot.

2. Is there a movie or TV program you could watch over and over again?

I can only think of two movies I did like to watch more than once and both of them featured Angelina Jolie though I would not say she is my favourite actress.  The first movie is called Salt, an action-adventure-spy movie.  I found the story line very thrilling and it held my interest throughout.  I also enjoyed The Tourist, a romantic-spy-mystery.  The scenery and the acting in The Tourist were superb as the story was mainly set in Venice.

 

I don't usually go out of my way to watch something over and again but I would choose movies like Out of Africa and  Sleepless in Seattle as the kind of movies I would watch on more than one occasion.  I also like to watch some classic movies like The Sound of Music.  During appropriate holidays like Christmas and Easter, I also watch some movie favourites like It's a Wonderful Life and The Ten Commandments. If a movie I've already liked and watched happens to be showing on television and I'm "free" I'm usually open to watching it again. 

I never really used to watch movies on television or on computer as I far prefer them on the big screen. But then the movies got to be so expensive and combined with the fact that the movies run are sometimes very short, I will now watch on TV or on line.  These days we have so many movie options and watching at home is very convenient. 

I usually make a cup of decaf tea and some other snack (fruits, chips, popcorn, etc.). The snack depends on what I have on hand and what I may be craving.  I never go out to buy snacks specifically for eating while watching movies.

3. Do you have a list of books or magazines you are hoping to read over the summer? Would you share it with us?  Bonus: do you make a cuppa something or a snack when you read?

I purchased two magazines which I haven't read yet:  Small Space Decorating (Better Homes & Gardens) and Flowers and Gardens (Victoria Classics). I simply love looking at pretty photos of beautiful homes and gardens and I also like watching You Tube videos and looking at magazines to get ideas for small space decor and organization.  

My tastes are very eclectic so it is hard to decide on what I really, really love for the purposes of living. I think  probably a home that is more rustic and comfortable because that seems to be what I gravitate to most since I like wood things and tribal rugs and artifacts or anything hand made.  I also love lots of greenery and flowers.

I have about 6 books on the go at the moment, several are sewing books, one is about heaven and who will meet us at the gates, another is a compilation of news articles written for the Irish Times by the late Maeve Binchy and the last two are novels.  I have a very long list of books to read and I'm always adding to it. Once I finish what I have on hand I will see what else I can get from the library that may be on my list. 

A few weeks ago I  reached my quite modest reading goal for the year.  Now I'm just taking time and not reading much each day especially because it is sweltering heat right now where I live and we've been shattering temperature records all week. When I have a good novel though it is hard to put it down until it's done.I find it's also more enjoyable when you read a novel each day so you don't lose the thread of the story.

I make the same snacks and refreshments for book reading as I do for when I watch movies.

4.  What kind of music do you enjoy listening to?

Joan Baez & Bob Dylan Photo by:  Getty Images & Printed in the Guardian News

My tastes in music are also super eclectic. I enjoy almost everything except for crude lyrics.  The music I'm drawn to most often is the classical music (especially Mozart), the music of the 60s and 70s (Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Peter, Paul & Mary, Joni Mitchell, Ian & Sylvia, Buffy Ste. Marie, Simon and Garfunkel, Motown, Jim Croce, The Beatles, Elvis) light rock of the 70s  & Dicso (James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Eagles, The Doobie Brothers, Doctor Hook, KC & The Sunshine Band, Donna Summer) and spiritual or gospel music of almost any era and any style.  I also like country and western music as it was the music I grew up hearing most. The odd thing is I love music but hardly make time to listen to anything but gospel.

Linking up with Tuesday 4.

Tuesday 4

 Welcome to Tuesday 4 in honor of Toni Taddeo...

1. Do you have a favorite movie to recommend? 

Hmm, I don't think I have a favourite amongst favourites as far as movies go but there are a few I can remember fondly.  On the romantic front:  Out of Africa with Meryl Streep and Robert Redford & The Way We Were with Barbara Streisand and Robert Redford. On the action/adventure front all the Bourne movies with Matt Damon and the James Bond movies with Daniel Craig. On the murder/mystery/thriller front: The Two Faces of January with Kirsten Dunst and Viggo Mortenson and The Talented Mr. Ripley with Matt Damon. I also enjoy a lot of the faith based movies of long ago:  The Ten Commandments (Charlton Heston and Yul Brenner) & Ben Hur (Charlton Heston), The Chronicles of Narnia movies, The Gospel of Luke, The Mission (Robert DeNiro & Jeremy Irons, Silence (Liam Neeson, Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver), The Inn of Sixth Happiness (Ingrid Bergman and  and many of the old B & W dramas, too many to mention.

2. Do you have a schedule for your day or do you wing it?

I have a loose schedule for my day but I wing it a lot depending on my energy levels and outside appointments.

3. What are you  eating/cooking  lately?

Lately I've been cooking a host of foods that have good memories for me:  

 

(Top left to right: Korean Ground Beef, Kenyan Matoke and Beef Stew, Indian Red Lentil Dahl and Naan, beef and veggie stir fry over spaghettini, Kale/Romaine Salad with baked French fries and chicken wings, Moroccan Beef Kebabs with salad and roasted cauliflower, Boiled Pork Hocks and onions with mashed potatoes.

The Korean Beef if a newer dish that I really like and it has become a new staple. I've cooked a lot of beef this past two weeks. Usually I use a lot of chicken.

4.  Do you surf on your computer? Tell us about it, won't you?

Daily I begin the computer time by checking email and blogs. Then I spend time checking out and watching vlogs and news, participate in webinars on interesting or useful topics and then research some items I've come across during the day. 

 I seldom buy fresh flowers but here is one I bought last week.

Thank you for stopping by. I'm linking up with Tuesday 4.

A Peek at the Garden

To date the spring season has been quite cool and a lot of rain. I haven't had to do much in the garden as a result and I find it isn't growing as fast as usual. The seeds I sowed directly must have drowned because they are not coming up. 

In the next few days the weather is expected to get much warmer and I'm sure the garden will suddenly sprout. In the meantime I went out to capture a few raindrops on leaves. One of my absolute favourite things to do in the garden believe or not. I captured these photos in the very early morning hours and just used my phone camera.

  Hosta leaves #1

 

Hosta leaves #2

Solomon's Seal #1

Solomon's Seal #2

The herb container

Trying to capture the rain as it drops in the bird bath.

When it dried out a little I captured a few more photos. 

I like to capture and compare garden photos from year to year. I can see that last year my garden was more mature in May than it is this year in June.  I think it's due to the cool weather and abundant rain. I'm hoping it means the garden will remain fresh for longer this summer if the very hot weather is delayed. July is typically our hottest month.

I'm almost finished reading a murder mystery called Moonflower Murders. It is the 2nd book in a series but I didn't realize it when I picked it up on a whim at the library. I am enjoying it quite a lot.

 

I have a friend who has been under a lot of stress because he was very close to becoming homeless. Right now he is living in a hotel room. Fortunately he found a place and so the stress is relieved.  He will need to purchase or gather a lot of items to begin in the new apartment so I'm now putting together some items that I want to declutter and which will be useful (bowls, plates, cutlery, draining pads, dishcloths,dishtowels, dutch oven, baking pans, possibly hangers. bedding and shower curtain, etc.).

In other news I was able to get my 2nd Covid vaccine.  I got the Pfizer vaccine and was told that after one week it is 95% effective in protecting me.

 How is your garden growing?

Rainy Sky in June

Hi friends and fellow bloggers. I hope you are all doing well. I am keeping very busy.

Early this week I finally completed the digital project I've been working on and now I'm turning to a few other things like reading, sewing and crafts. I've also got a lot to catch up on with lab tests, medical and dental appointments. I also go in for my 2nd Covid jab next week. I'll be glad when that is done though I hardly think that will be the end of it all. We will all hear more in time but I'm thankful that the country's Covid numbers are now getting under control. It will only help us if all other countries can also get their numbers under control before the world wide travel restrictions are lifted. I'm hopeful that I can visit with two different family members before the end of the summer.

I don't think I've shared here yet but I finally was able to have my late mom's power wheelchair picked up for assessment and repair. This has been on hold for a very long time due to Covid restrictions. But at last it went out the door and the good news is that the things I thought needed repair were the exact things that needed repair (new batteries, charger and air for the 2 Roho cushions). My friend and the organization she belongs to raised the funds for the repairs and the chair will now be gifted to a woman who is a paraplegic. I am very happy for her as it will make her life that much easier. To date she has been trying to get by in a manual wheelchair that she propels herself. This is just not working out and is very exhausting as you can imagine. Now she will be able to drive around in comfort.

 

Alvin, the young man in Kenya is now in his first phase of seminary training called Postulancy.  He is at the halfway mark of a 2 month period of introductory studies. Once that finishes he will return home to Nairobi for a brief break before commencing full time study in August. He is going through a period of adjustment but I think overall he will enjoy it.

Livingstone was recovering at home from Covid 19 and has been out of quarantine now for just over a week. He has also returned to the hospital for what we thought was removal of his leg cast.  Instead the hospital has asked him to start on a vitamin regime, removed his old cast and put a new cast on.  Many villagers do not get adequate nutrition and this makes it difficult for them to heal in the normal way. I hope next time he goes to the doctor they will find that his leg has properly healed.

 

 

I hope all is well in your part of the world. Keep safe.

Joining in with Skywatch Friday.