And it's suddenly late spring

 Some more blossoms around my apartment

As of Thursday, April 16 we still had some azaleas blooming.

I climbed down two flights of stairs to capture a few photos of the lilies of the valley.

Behind the big maple tree is where my balcony sits, over the entrance to the downstairs apartment. 

White azaleas are past their prime.

The lilies are as well. But what a huge patch of them! This is the biggest I've seen it.

Another native flame azalea, also butchered by the eager landscape crew in trying to make everything look tidy.

Quilt by Sandra Mollon.

Sharing with Tom's Tuesday Treasures

Some local (and not so local) pics

 

Huge building where I went for an ultra sound. Walked further than I had since being sick. Drove much further too...way down in Fletcher. The people making appointments sure weren't considering my gas costs! 

The pollen-mobile. That night it rained a bit. I haven't yet checked if the pollen just pooled or some might have washed off. Yes, it's yet another rear window...quite a boring one, I might add. There will be a few more to finish off that topic soon however.

A shot of the Atlantic from my friend Teresa, who  took a long weekend with her hubby to enjoy her favorite place.

Train service returned on Sat. to Black Mountain. It has not happened since Sept. 2024's storms washed away foundations of tracks many places. This was a freight train from Hickory to Asheville. I didn't hear when it went by, though usually it has horn toots which are obvious here. Must have been on the phone or something...

Sunday April 19 the maple leaves are dancing in the 44 degree F wind. I hope to go out later to grocery shop!

Yesterday was my granddaughter, Audrey's 24th birthday.

A UU Chalice with names of many important women submitted by various people.

My friend suggested that any writing motions give brain stimulation, therefore I don't have to write/draw anything with meaning in order to help my brain. Smart cookie. Soul growth might also be worthwhile, but I'll be happy with brain!

5 days equal 5 weeks

 A nurse from my health insurance company gave me this formula. For every day you spend in the hospital you'll need a week of recovery once you go home.

So I've completed the first week of 5. Geese, I don't have a life, again. (I wrote this on Thursday, and by Friday I did feel a lot better!)

I'm having dizzy spells, hanging onto furniture. Who me, anxious? Heart, lungs, skin, pulse ox, blood pressure, nebulizer, therapeutic vest, pills, pills, pills! Go to tests for this and that. Calls to and from nurses, insurance, appointment schedulers...when do I have time to just be myself?

Warning - a long discussion leading nowhere follows. 

There was the scary certified letter Wednesday. The mailman comes to your door and you have to sign that you've received the letter. It is like a legal document. Why? This was from the hospital from which I'd been discharged just a week before. OK, maybe they thought I could pay the bill myself, instead of the insurance company. I signed. And stood inside my apartment and opened it. 

La dee da- a standard Dear Patient form letter, with attached "Important Message from Medicare" - in bold face type. It has to do with discharge from the hospital.

I read quickly through the form letter from Medicare, about appealing something.

I go back to the first one...read more carefully. Look for any dates regarding all this. None anywhere. Not even on the envelope. Appeal what?

Why did I get it?

What's it referring to? Somehow the forms refer to being discharged before I felt I'd received adequate care. Being a form letter, it says 

"if you want to appeal (regarding discharge too soon or not feeling medically able to go home) you must contact the Quality Improvement Organization no later than the day of discharge, before leaving the hospital." (underline mine!)

Methinks this is another one of those "they doth protest too much."

QIO isn't given any reference in the letter. Incidentally, there's no way to contact them. Incidentally, I was discharged a whole week before receiving this form letter! 

Oh the Medicare Important Message form does give some QIO numbers and how to appeal your Hospital Discharge (even after deadline - with your Medicare health plan.)

Ah ha. I remember news stories now that this hospital has been sanctioned by Medicare. Maybe this is what it's all about.

Nothing to do with me. I received a discharge summary. I've since reviewed the discharge with my primary physician. What a load of baloney! 

My doctor made sure I had followed his orders (I think, by setting up oxygen at home.) Wait wait. The oxygen wasn't set up until the second day after I went home. Perhaps this is his CYA (cover your ass, if you never ran into that before)! He did say he didn't want me coming back to the hospital with anything related to not having oxygen that first night. Well, I've had it.

And I've doubly HAD IT with this hospital! Ever since HCA bought it out, and half the specialty doctors left, and then all the subsidiary doctors have been brought into their corporate umbrella, it has not done well with the local population. Almost all the nursing staff and technicians are "Traveling Nurses." They used to be called Temps. But they actually work for HCA and are housed by the corporation in towns where they're employed, and apparently put out bids for where and how much they'll work. My phlebotomist was from Sarasota FL and bids for 3 or 4 days a week, a month at a time, here in Asheville, and gets well paid.

I really have had very good care, except for the construction noise the last day. Wait wait, I filled in a survey and said that, and then this letter arrived.

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I really needed this...

Daily Om gave this little helpful reminder last Thursday. 

These small moments can help rebuild a sense of safety, reminding you that calm is still available, even in difficult moments.

When anxiety takes over, it can feel as though your mind has raced far ahead of you, spinning worst-case scenarios, what-ifs, and stories that leave you feeling dysregulated. Somatic grounding offers a way back to center. Rather than asking you to think your way out of this overwhelming moment, it invites you to return to your body — and to the stillness of the present. Part of what makes these practices so comforting is how simple they are. You do not need perfect techniques, a special ritual, or hours of free time. Even small acts — feeling your feet on the floor, relaxing your shoulders, or noticing the rise and fall of your breath — can help interrupt the spiral and bring you back to yourself. Over time, these small moments can help rebuild an internal sense of safety, reminding you that calm is still available, even in difficult moments. Try this gentle practice: Sit somewhere comfortable, and let both feet rest on the floor. Notice the steady support beneath you. Place one hand over your heart and the other over your belly. Take a slow breath in. Then let your exhale be long and easy. Slowly look around the room and rest your eyes on three things you can see. Let yourself arrive here and be held by this moment. May it offer you a small but meaningful sense of peace to carry with you through the rest of your day

Some critters for this week

 

Appreciating the little blown glass cat with a goldfish inside, and my own Muffin fluffy gal from way back when (before 2012).

Lovely Llamas, but small file so foggy shot.

Who I'm sharing my balcony with... She's busy building this nest...first shot taken Sunday April 12, second below on Wednesday April 15.

I don't sit out there but an hour or so a day...and so far I don't see any reason to make her move. Perhaps I will when I consider all her little ones...

Ganesh

"lead-voe-elephant" (That's how I saved it, no idea what it means.)

I enjoy seeing other's critters photos. I hope our love of animals continues to support their lives!

Sharing with Saturday's Critters.

Don't miss Martha Grover's pottery at Alchemy of Clay

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And trains are running again, first freight train since Hurricane Helene washed out tracks/beds nearby in Sept 2024.

UPDATE – Train Schedule Change

Happy Saturday, Asheville! We’ve got an updated itinerary and some exciting news—welcome back Norfolk Southern!

The train will now depart Oyama in Hickory heading west between 7:45 AM – 8:00 AM.

This is a 58-car train, and timing is estimated as follows:

10:45 – 11:45 AM: Old Fort

Noon: Old Fort Loops, then continuing up the mountain toward Asheville.

(Black Mountain will be after the loops...)

Times may shift slightly, so keep your eyes and ears open—and enjoy the ride through the mountains today!

I've got my windows open to hear the toot of the train as it goes across Blue Ridge Rd. at the foot of my hill.

Rear Windows part 1

 

As I recover back at home, my photo opportunities are limited. Here's the April 15 view of fallen dogwood petals and transformation to greenery. Those leaves at the base of the tree were the early harbingers of spring a month ago...daffodils.

On a tangent, I'd like to recommend a short article on Substack by Robertson Work...which I've linked over on my blog Inner Workings. or go directly to his essay Being and Doing in Mystery and Ecstasy.

But let's consider Sepia Saturday for a moment. Suggestion of an old truck. I think I've already posted what photos I had in my files. Let's see if there's anything new available.

Our host Alan gives this information on the above photo:

Our theme image this week features an early twentieth century motor vehicle (the body of which, coincidentally, was built by my father's Uncle Albert). Leaving aside the family pride, you might want to use the image to prompt reflections on vehicles past and present, or, noting that the wagon was used to transport beer, you might want to take a diversion into the realm of beer bottles. And, as always, you can take a completely unchartered diversion to wherever you want - all we ask for is an old image and some new thoughts. Deliver them on or around Saturday 18th April 2026 and leave a link on the list at Sepia Saturday.

When living in Tampa FL until 2007 when I retired, I would drive busy streets constantly. Back before I was blogging, I already was taking photos thinking artistically. And at that point I had Picasa, a free photo editing program. So I formed collages with the topic "Rear Windows."

 

If you live  in a city, you stop in traffic frequently, and see interesting windows of the vehicles ahead of you...thus the rear windows.

I'm going to include some as individual shots too so you can see the details.

OK, to be continued. There are too many for one blog post. And if you're interested, help me figure out which year all those license plates were from. I can't focus on any so far...sometime on or before 2007.  To be continued.