Rosevalley - this is for you!

Rose- one of the last blooms from the cacti this spring into summer time. For you dear.

Since you are in the mood for food, and 4th of July picnics are upcoming, I thought you might like this virtual hamburger.

Wow I wish I could eat that burger.. I would be miserable if I did. I ate a fish burger no bun and some spanish rice yesterday and that sat pretty hard. I only ate a little of the rice. I might have to wait until my tumor markers go down some more and my stomach loosens up. The cancer must have gone down quite a bit in my intestines. It all stayed down. We had our oldest over for fish tacos yesterday with grilled onions, peppers and avacado, Spanish rice, refried beans sirracha sauce... man can that kid eat. She ate as much as her Dad (6ft 3) and she is 4ft 8inches and 90 pounds! She loves spicy food and was in heaven. We laughed. It's so fun to watch someone just love and enjoy something. We had a good visit (she lives in a nearby foster home for DD folks- great place and we were lucky to place her there.)

Hummingbird I am so sorry the markers are rising on Taxol. I hope maybe Abraxane might be tried? This is so hard. I was disappointed about faslodex stopping so quickly but it was a crap shot that it worked at all since I had it before. So I was lucky it pulled me out from dying to spend the summer with DD3. This is hard trying and failing meds. I told my counselor yesterday that it's so difficult to live lightly and intentionally when death stalks you with cancer. It's an odd way to live especially when you are not old old and expected to die. Last night I was happily looking at face painting ideas for Halloween because the kids have a haunted house they all volunteer at. I was looking at ideas and thinking how fun it would be to try them on my 15 year old. I am pretty good at copying face painting ideas. Then I stopped to wonder if my health would hold out by then.. would I be here? No telling. Just playing it week by week. I know that it's good to live in the present moment but to have virtually no future is mind bending. It is weird.

Thank you all for your kind words, lovely postings of flowers, animal adventures and sharing your lives. No one gets this like we in cancerland. I am going to harvest my foxglove seeds and put them in a bag and spread them out up at the park... like Johnny Appleseed only with foxglove. My legacy.. to the local hummingbirds and butterflies. They are local plants so I am not hurting anything, just adding some! We have lavender, pink and white foxglove. When I am gone may they flourish and thrive. Lovingkindness to all especially those at the end of their journey in hospice may you be free from pain and at peace.

rosevalley

The Foxglove Floral Feast was the winning wildflower arrangement in a recent flowers from the hedgerows competition in my town.

Love the Foxglove seed idea - go for it. The bees will love it!

Rose - my friend makes the most delicious tomato sandwiches. You slice the large tomato and lay it between paper towels on a cookie sheet in the refrigerator overnight. The next day you spread the softest crust less Wonder Bread with mayo to which you've added Laury's Seasonall. The tomato is in the middle of two slices of bread spread with the mayo concoction.YUM-my!

Kandy the foxglove should just stay up unless it needs water. Or maybe got too much water? When mine get super tall over 5ft then sometimes they bend. I have been thinning them out. Dead heading roses too. Nice gardening type stuff. putzing...

I don't know what to do about the Taxol it controls the cancer for sure but wow it's pretty scary to turn bright red, heart banging and not being able to breathe. Pharmacy won't give me any after 2 times. The Abraxane has really made me tired and fatigued. My hips and bones ache too so it's probably working. I was just blasted tired yesterday..very little energy. I guess it hits 2 days after the infusion. I managed a walk, chores and some errands today and I am tired. So that's not too bad..not my usual in pre cancer days. I have seen so many folks heading out camping.. Happy 4th folks!! I used to love camping but my bones could never do dirt and a sleeping bag. Oh boy.. I would pay. May everyone have their favorites... tomato sandwiches like Farmer Lucy's friend and BBQs with all the fixings. Happy Holiday!! We are having perfect weather sunny and mild and no humidity. Hugs to all.

Rose, thought you might get a laugh. This is my great GD, Evie, with my DD chicks.

That Baby is just precious.. love her cheeks and peeps. Way cute. Speckle neckle is lovely too.

My DD1 and DH and I played Johnny Appleseed and took a HUGE bucket of foxglove stalks to huge natural Park. We walked along the river and in the dappled areas forested near the banks spread stalks and cups of tiny black seed the size of poppy seed all harvested from our garden. In a couple of years the foxglove will turn into their elegant majestic spires loved by birds and bees. I spread lavender, pink and white seeds. I feel pretty good about my efforts. My legacy in flowers... no markers. Here is a picture of the river off DH's phone. It was a beautiful walk. Nature is something! Happy 4th. My cats are so peeved at me because I won't let them out. One more day of forced prison and then they can be free.. fireworks are scary. All the cats are too old.

Rosie, good news makes us all smile. Hugs and prayers your way.

Evie makes us all smile too. Gotta get mine in also.

I love this country to pieces and can't hold my admiration for it's history, people and the sheer physical beauty of America... but I hate illegal fireworks. Our neighbors set off explosion after explosion rocking the house scaring my animals, terrifying the wildlife and making any enjoyment of our home enduring a war zone. I mean it sounds like Middle East attacks coming in for the bombing..can't imagine living under such noise and misery. It's an endurance of hell every year. I am glad it's over. Why can't folks be happy with gentle sparklers and such? Happy 4th... the fireworks are done!! Yay. You shouldn't be able to set off things like that in neighborhoods. Rant over...

We had a few of your neighbor's noisy relatives here as well. Every year going out of state to buy illegal fireworks and setting them off all through the Independence Day weekend, also on New Year's Eve.

One New Year's Eve he set off some fireworks. One hit my bedroom window and landed on the roof of my porch. It smoldered there for a few moments before it rolled off into the snow. I was seriously tempted to call the police. But that would have meant putting on daytime clothes, coats and boots (vs my warm pjs) and going outside and having to deal with the idiots at one in the morning.

We were so happy when the noisy neighbors moved away!!

I hope you are able to see the results of your flower seeding. Reminds me of a book we had. The character seeded all over the countryside.

Well at least the misery is spread around! You can't even buy these big boomers in Oregon; they go to Washington to buy them. My DH and I mused that the poor folks in Palestine, Iraq and Syria live 365 days a year listening to that. Ugh.. can't imagine. Well the cats can be free today. I am off to the cancer center for another infusion of Abraxane. Wish me luck.

Evie is just beautify Susan. Wonderful that you got to be a Grandma!! We have some friends who just had a perfectly lovely little Grandbaby named Everly "Evie" for short. Sweet little face! Enjoy them because they grow up fast! Love to all.

Surrounding you in loving, healing light dear Rosevalley!

May the Abraxane be just the medicine you need now.

much loving kindness always, Stephanie

Rosevalley- on the subject of sprinkling seeds, I found this sunflower next to the side of my house recently, where I put a bird feeder out in the winter. This must have come from a stray sunflower seed from the mix I use and it found a way to root and make a flower! I had noticed it a week or so ago and went to pull it out as I thought it was some kind of weed, but then realized it was a surprise sunflower. Seeds and nature have a way of making things happen!

Given your story about sprinkling the seeds, I thought you might enjoy this!

Rose, what a beautiful story about your walk to spread foxglove seeds that will nourish birds and bees alike! Somehow that story deeply resonates, and I hope you found joy in every moment!

Thinking of you and sending hugs and warm wishes!