Getting ready for snow or flowers
By Marsha
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
Midland, Michigan
March 26, 2024 1:55pm CST
I thought I'd pop in a bit. I took some pics of my early spring flowers trying to bloom. It remains to be seen how long they stay or whether they even bloom fully this year.
Since sometime in February we've gone back and forth between nicer, spring type temps to cold, frigid temps. I'm sure the flowers are confused here in Michigan and possibly elsewhere too.
In the college the top right is a daffodil and the lower right is a hyacinth. It took me a bit to remember what that one was because it's still pretty close to the ground.
The pic on the left of the collage is a snow thrower I bought last month. Since my husband lost his leg fifteen years ago I've been using the snow blower he bought and used until then. I was fine using it until the last two years. I began thinking I should get one smaller that might be easier to manage.
I think I waited to long because beginning in January I did something to throw my right leg out of whack. It wasn't until it snowed again in Feb that I figured out how I injured my leg. It was from using the the same snow plow that I've used these last fifteen years.
There are times that I get into right spots and have to pick up part of the blower so I don't scratch a car or dig up the lawn or that type of things. I believe when I partially picked it up I'm January that's what caused my leg to hurt. I've not used that blower since early Feb but my leg is still bothersome. It's very odd. It doesn't feel like it's a joint it just feels like the muscle hurts when I'm starting to walk. Once I walk a bit I'm better.
I might see the chiropractor soon. I'm beginning to wonder whether my back is out after all.
If it would warm up a bit more I'm hoping I get outside and do some walking near my house. I have started doing some exercises too.
Anyway, when I told my sister here, T, that I would be looking for a smaller snow blower she rolls me about snow type shovels that threw snow. I've used it once in the porch and deck and if it does snow in Fri I'll get to try it in the driveway.
I don't want you to feel bad for me. We all have our issues. Had I done something about getting rid of snow another way last year this wouldn't have happened.
12 people like this
11 responses
@rebelann (112776)
• El Paso, Texas
26 Mar
From late December through early April it's what I call the 1st seesaw season, one day cold 3 days warm 1 day hot 2 days cold 1 day of rain and a few days very windy. Where I live it's hard to know what to wear sometimes because we can have very cold temps in the morning then very warm temps in the afternoon.
3 people like this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
26 Mar
That's similar to our weather but ours normally doesn't begin until late March to June. This year it began in February.
Is autumn to Dec your second see saw season?
1 person likes this
@2ndchances24 (8815)
• Cloverdale, Indiana
29 Mar
Yea that about sums it up right there Sea saw weather, I like that.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (471294)
• Switzerland
27 Mar
@MarshaMusselman - We can never know how we will be in the future. My husband looked so strong and healthy only 3 years ago.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
29 Mar
@LadyDuck I know.
I started doing leg lifts while sitting in my recliner and it's only been a few days but it seems to be helping a lot.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
27 Mar
I'm hoping with the snow thrower I just bought that it will be much easier to clear the drive and sidewalks. If I have something easier to handle I should be able to manage maybe into my eighties which is still a ways away.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
29 Mar
My daffodil is stuck in pre bloom, but it's supposed to warm up starting this weekend so maybe it'll bloom then.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (72116)
• United States
2 Apr
@MarshaMusselman oh my gosh what a horrible experience for him. I had no idea blood clots could do that. I always thought it was something that killed people within days if not caught. Amazing the things we can learn from others here but I am so sorry he had to go through that.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
27 Mar
We don't know what the original cause was but he got a blood clot in the artery in his thigh. The surgeon did a catherization of the vein first and then did a by-pass. There were some complications where it took some time to work out. In the mean time his foot got gangrene and the decision was made to remove it from below the knee so he wouldn't lose the whole leg.
He was in the hospital three months, came home for a couple of weeks before the decision was made to get the amputation.
Why he got the initial blood clot we don't know but he for another one on the opposite leg in 2014, but that was in his lower leg and it was caught quick enough that his leg was saved.
For the leg that was amputated he didn't have the normal warning signs. He did have pain in his foot. We were going to our family Dr every week for a month before seeing a specialist. When we finally went to the ER they discovered after putting blood pressure cuffs down his leg that there was no pulse in the lower section of that leg and he was admitted.
When he got the second blood clot the symptoms were totally different.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
2 Apr
@shaggin it all depends on whether the blood clot is in a vein or artery. If it's in a vein it can get to the heart of not found soon enough. His was in the artery and that affects blood flow to the extremities.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (166718)
• Boise, Idaho
26 Mar
I haven't seen any robins out like I did back in late February. Weird weather. I bet some warmer weather could help your back and some other issues. Hope you figured out the snow blower situation.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (166718)
• Boise, Idaho
27 Mar
@MarshaMusselman ......It is quite a deal seeing them early around here.
Hope the snow blower works for you.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
29 Mar
@celticeagle I hope it works well to. It's at least much easier to move around. If I have difficulty using it that might be when I run into uneven sidewalks and my driveway.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
27 Mar
We have some robins all winter long since we have warm days mixed with the cold. I've heard of people seeing them. I don't think about looking.
I'm hoping the snow thrower that's about as big as a shovel will work for me. If it doesn't then I'll try to sell it and but a smaller snow blower if we can afford it.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
29 Mar
I've been doing better the last few days because I found and began doing an exercise to strengthen the area.
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (69304)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
26 Mar
Hopefully you won't have to worry about the snow much longer.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
26 Mar
We usually get one but snow storm in April and we've had a heavy frost into June before so we just don't know. But the business that rely on winter tourists are not doing well either because we've not had the snowfall in the last few years that we used to get.
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
27 Mar
Hopefully not, but it's still early for our area in Michigan.
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
26 Mar
With hubby being so unwell I’ve been paying a local man to clean our driveway after a snowstorm. He’s reasonably priced and does a thorough job.
The tulips and daffodils are showing some green. I’m really looking forward to the spring flowers.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
27 Mar
I pay a small company to more our lawn but I'm not sure we can afford to get our snow plowed unless we start making money on our books.
I retired this past December and get a small pension and both of us get social security. We're making do and going out cars or appliances won't need major repairs in the near future.
How's Joanne doing? Is she still in NC? Is she still writing at all?
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
27 Mar
Exactly. On some things I'm getting better but I have a long way to go.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
26 Mar
I hope that it will work well. It's at least a lot lighter than the larger blower.
@2ndchances24 (8815)
• Cloverdale, Indiana
27 Mar
The winter weather has been a little crazy & the plants go into
a stupper when they don't know which is what, I just replanted
mine that just started popping up all over the yard & being I
had some tubs & stuff I put some compost I have been making
in them & some extra leaves to keep the compost damp & they're
starting to regrow again.
Now that I have some of them replanted & waiting for the rest of
them to pop up, I'll get my garden area ready for them & when they
all multiply I'll separate them & put them in other areas around the
trailer being all the trees have been taken down so we get MORE sun.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
27 Mar
We don't so any planting or transplanting here until close to June. Even though everyone is biting at the but by then. Some people do plant in may and then watch the forecast to see if they'll have to cover everything for the colder nights.
1 person likes this
@2ndchances24 (8815)
• Cloverdale, Indiana
27 Mar
@MarshaMusselman I do mine as early as I can & have PLENTY
of compost I have made & plenty of leaves that I put around them
& I also have a 75 gal fish tank that I use the water from to water them.
So far with what I do to replant my plants has never failed me
1 person likes this
