Baby Softens The Fall!

Daddy was standing without his cane by the mailbox  at the road below the hill in front of their country home. He had ridden in the golf cart with his bob tailed terrier to get the mail. The dog had been a skinny mistreated animal until he was  picked up by the environmental services supervisor at my work and brought in to see if anyone might want him. I had immediately thought of daddy who had lost his old pet recently. The little dog's name was originally  Jackson, shortened to Jack by daddy and later renamed  "Baby".  Jackson is now a happy fat "Baby" who travels through  wooded farm trails with daddy in the golf cart and frequently keeps him company until one of the family can get the golf cart off a fallen log. Baby also gives daddy numerous opportunities to fall face forward while daddy bends to pick up litter scattered all over the yard. If Baby cannot locate anything to chew on, he has been known to visit my house and borrow my husband's boot from the porch to drag back as a present to daddy. Baby has chewed up my granddaughter's cat's toys and eaten her dog's food.  Shouldn't we all contribute something to keeping daddy's baby fat and happy? There is always the possibility that if daddy forgets his cane or walker and falls again, Baby will cushion his fall.

Healthy Living and Vegetables

Morning by morning new mercies I see. I drive to work praying and watching the sunrise split the sky like a gateway to heaven.  In the evening after work I visit my parents for a short but often sweet time. Thankfully, they are both able to think coherently, make their own decisions and keep all of the family busy. Mamma at 87 knows many healthy recipes for maintaining good nutrition for diseases with which they both must deal, diabetes and hypertension. Daddy, at 90 years old, gardens to grow the vegetables which they enjoy.  Raw banana peppers, green onions and fresh tomatoes are part of the daily fare, while southern cooked turnips are their favorite. Gardening gives daddy great opportunities for outdoor activities. Unstable on his feet, he often scares us when sprawling face first across the garden or tripping over a root. Mamma  not only has learned about diabetic cooking, she also knows that looking out the window toward the garden can be anxiety provoking. She maintains her calm by being sure daddy wears his emergency call button around his neck and carries his walkie talkie with him. After all, they must have fresh vegetables to stay young.

"Morninglory" is the symbol I chose for my blog "Living Faith on Higher Ground." It is great to wake each new day with the image of the brightness of this colorful flower. The vivid yellow center is like the sunrise. The fluffy petals symbolize floating above challenges of the day.  Aging in the midst of a multi-generational family which ranges from ages 7 to 90 years has blessed me with the excitement of life's changes. I look forward to blogging with others who enjoy morning's glories.