Hummingbird Bath

Although I have noticed a definite decline in the number of butterflies in our garden, we still have a lot of birds and bees . The hummingbirds are especially fearless and zoom around the garden, announcing their passage with a whirring of  wings. If one happens to be in the trajectory of their path it feels like being dive bombed. They are quite difficult to photograph, for they are never still. It was therefore quite delightful to watch this one thoroughly enjoying her bath. In between dips into the fountain for a drink, she appeared to be sharpening her beak on the edge of the fountain!

My neighbor called me last night and asked me if I would come by and help her choose a floor covering for her family room. I'm always happy to give my opinion, even when it is unsolicited, so I went along this afternoon, knowing that it might be a demanding visit. 

She is 91 years old and her husband had a stroke just before we moved here, and is mostly confined to a wheelchair. She designed the house they live in, and they have a beautiful collection of Southwest Indian pottery and rugs. She has a tendency to talk about her husband as if he isn't there, probably because he is difficult to understand. She has fallen several times and has difficulty walking but her mind is sharp, she worries a lot and she still drives a car.

He is a very sweet man who relives his former active life as a backpacker and hiker through a large stack of photo albums that he keeps next to his chair. He doesn't remember that I have seen these pictures every time I have been there. In fact, I don't think he really remembers ME, but he is always smiling and never complains. 

They are having a family party to celebrate their 66th anniversary next month and she wants to replace the carpet, with something before then But what?  

Having given my opinion about the floor covering (not more carpet, because of the wheelchair) I ventured to suggest that they remove about half the furniture in the room so that he could navigate more easily without having to ask her to move chairs and tables out of the way, something that obviously annoyed her.  This probably wasn't a good idea, so I hastily added that they didn't have to give it away,  just rearrange it to another room unless they needed it.

I was beginning to understand why none of their sons wanted to recommend anything other than the quickest and easiest thing. Although she said she was so grateful that someone was willing to give her an honest opinion, I was beginning to realize the reasons why nobody wanted to do that. I don't think I helped at all

And I did completely forget to go to the dentist....