Coming to Terms

 

 

I fell in my drive way in October and had to have knee surgery. Both meniscus were destroyed beyond repair. So, the Dr. cut out all the torn menisci. It's been hard trying to get back to post injury.

 

My so-called neighbor, who is throwing around his wealth in outdoor hardscape. Has cut down all the trees except for one. No thought to the migratory birds or the increased water run off he has caused. The two properties have shared driveways since the 40's. He has taken away our right to use the drive, cutting off access to our house with any type of vehicle. They have been rude to us, with the weeks of stone cutting drenching our house and vehicles in nasty stone dust. The large equipment has torn up our property, killed my cat, polluted our hearing with constant noise.  Recovery from surgery has been made more miserable by this "good neighbor" his words not mine. I was worried in June about the fence he was erecting on the property line, now I can't wait for it to go up.

 

I worry for the returning hummingbirds, generations have been nesting here for years. I have watched and cared for them for just at 20 years. They have lost their nest sites in those trees that meant so much to their habitat. And so much to our earth.

 

 

 

Young Ruby-Throat Male

Just getting his red gorget feathers

Kemah Lake

My Lilly Garden ~ 2013

 

Odd Things Afoot!

I am becoming quite aware of shifts and energy bursts in my life. My practice in Iyengar has progressed with such peace and strength. My photography has gone to a whole new level. I've made new friends that were placed on my path by one greater than us all. I'm thank-ful I am loved. I am in awe at what God presents to me, what is set before me.

Clarity hits me sometimes in such a way that tears come quickly and are blinding. What a relief most the time. At other times like all through my life, anger swells in me; but now it is fleeting. Odd, yet meant to be I believe. We never quit learning do we?

Major Changes Bringing....

me to many realizations. Two of my dearest friends passed away. Life long friend Kelly Bruce, suddenly died of a massive heart attack in October. My dearest friend of over 36 years, Layce Lindsey Kassinger, went into the hospital at Thanksgiving. She passed away on Wednesday night on the 7th of December. Just like her to leave us on an historical day. She knew I couldn't bear it if she left me on my birthday.

 I hadn't been in a festive mood come Christmas. I always have been a decoration aficionado. I didn't care. I was out shopping in Wally World, and found these huge shimmery decorations.I decorated my Siberian Dogwood for my girl. It gave me a new perspective. Something as simple as  as the wind off the lake making them dance, made my heart happy.

I've always been a worrier, wondering if this or that will happen. No more, I gave it all to Christ, I mean really; I haven't taken it back and tried to work it out on my own. I've left all those things that I have tried to influence, or change, at the throne. I know something wonderful is on its way. Something I would've never dreamed up on my own. My walk is no longer looking for God, I am now standing still, and he has found me.

I keep coming out of the shell that I let myself create when I was an abused child of my Mother. My love of animals has never waned. My photography is getting better and better. I've made new friends, love Zumba. ( as my sister has always said, " I'm a dancer!" There is something in me now, that even my nasty mouthed, self centered mother can't even touch.

I appreciate the sacrifices that my grandmother Mabel made for me and my sister's, the prayers she and her sister's prayed for our lives. Answers coming even now.

 So I will love  Layce forever.  I'll remember fondly Bruce always. Thank  God for both of them being in my life. I am such a changed person for that.  I know Mabel is with my Matthew Aaron and filling Paradise with her love and beautiful voice.

Layce Ann Kassinger

(C) JDobbins 2012

Kelly Bruce Hartley and daughter Kayla

(C) JDobbins 2012

Big female Blue Heron fishing the shore in front of my house

(C) JDobbins 2012

Bones of a Clematis Blossom

As September 11th Approaches

Everyone remembers what they were doing on that horrible, crisp clear morning in September. Some have loved ones lost, saved, and never the same. I am thankful that my brother-in-law Ali Behrooj, working in Tower 2, made it out alive. It changed our family forever.

The Towers were very special to me. My first date with my husband, was sitting on the pier at Exchange Place gazing at all that was going on around the towers, lower Manhattan and Jersey City. It's where we knew we'd be a couple forever.

After being in the city long enough we moved to the rural mountains of NW NJ. Marty still driving to Hoboken everyday, me working up here. We both had off that day. My regular day off, he took off to be with me and to work on our new laundry room. I was sitting on the couch as usual for a day off, taking in the news. When I saw the 1st plane hit I thought this is no mistake. I called for Marty, he couldn't believe it. When tower 2 was hit I starting praying for my brother-in-law and those that were trapped in that UN-Godly event.

It wasn't till the next day that we found Ali. He's forever changed. He was always proud of being a "good" person from Iran. But after that day, he legally changed his name to Al. Who could ever blame him.

What ever you were doing that day. I hope you can find some peace and are still able to pray for our country. Terrorist never come at you straight on...it's all covertly and with great devastation.

My Late Spring Favorite

Cornus Kousa Blossom

My 7 year old tree

(c) J Dobbins 2011

I just can't seem to snap out of being so ill. Since April. I have had enough

I don't feel like dancing in the streets....

I'm personally tied to a survivor of September 11th 2001. I was so ashamed and disconcerted, over how Americans were, and are partying over the demise of one of the most blood-thirsty killers of our time.

I'm saddened that , that's how he chose to meet our one true God. I'm proud the of the young men and women of our armed forces. They've been hunting Usama way before there was an Obama in office.

I'm blessed to be an American, to have the rights that I do. To worship the Living God. All based on what someone else did for my freedoms 100's of years ago.

God Save America!

Kemah Lake Eagles

March 29,2011

(c) J. Dobbins

Caught By Surprise

I can't really say it was a surprise. Yes, I knew I had bad heart valves,a-fib..... But what a surprise to find out my kidneys are failing and the left lower part of my heart didn't show up on nuclear stress. Echo revealing valves are much worse than 2 years ago. I await
(scary) procedures on the 8th of April. My sister is flying up and both her and my friend, and husband, will be at my side. No matter what happens.....I'm blessed

My Akira ~" Caught Napping"

(C) 2011 J Dobbins

Sometimes I feel

like a muted swan....

First Full Day Of Spring ~ Muted Swan

(C) Jennifer Dobbins 2011

Can't see the forest for the trees

The Japan catastrophe's have weighed heavy on my heart this week. But what really disturbs me is the the lackadaisical attitude allot of people have....I just don't get the idea that everything is AOK. My nephew plans on moving his family back to Japan..no big deal he tells his Mom. No one that I have talked to personally thinks anything like what happened in Chili, Indonesia, and finally Japan, can happen here. I think differently. I can't have the attitude that if it didn't happen here, who cares. It will happen here...sooner or later.

My nuclear tests are thursday, the heart, carotid, the whole deal. My better half will accompany me. I tire of the quirks in my heart, the irregular beating, the heavy chest feeling. No medicine changes, Philip says I have to stay on the doses prescribed. I was upset, but, I have accepted. It's amazing how things feel more normal when you can take a breath, and be realistic.

Opened my Etsy shop back up. I have lot's of new products, things are going well with that. I have really enjoyed being almost 98% organic. I can tell a huge difference in the end products.

Spring is here...maybe not on the calender, but here on Lake Kemah it sure is. Merganser's, Osprey's, Muted Swans, they are all back...I am comforted.

Beauitful Male American Merganser

(C) 2011 J Dobbins

I love to photograph the Moon

(C) 2011 J Dobbins

Kemah Just before the Thaw

(C) 2011 J Dobbins