Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - May 21, 2017

Good morning! Welcome to my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photos I took along the way. If you're here for Survivor -- you can find any Survivor posts I make at this link right here.  You can find any posts I make about TAR at this link -- The Amazing Race. The season finales for both shows are coming up this week -- how time flies!

In regard to television watching -- I haven't been able to get into this season's Fargo like I have the previous two seasons. I fell asleep the week before last and I actually forgot it was on this past week. I'll catch up with it today. Maybe if I'm not watching it after live blogging a show and at such a late hour, I will be more into it.

So, how is my leg doing? Hmm. I went to the hospital this week for the scheduled follow-up Doppler ultrasound test to make sure no blood clots have formed and to track the progress of the injected vein-collapsing Varithena. The tech performing the ultrasound told me all looked good to him, but the doctor will read the report more thoroughly. My next doctor appointment isn't until June 2nd. I do see improvement. Where I had the bundle of veins like snakes under my skin in my calf, a marked improvement. There is a rather large painful swelling at one of the injection sites, but I'm thinking that should diminish in time. The blisters from the tape are gone, but my thigh still has a lot of discoloring and bruising from that big injection site and that foam roll thing that was so tightly strapped to it in the bandaging.  All in all, it feels better than it did pre-Varithena even at this early stage. But, then again, I have been taking it easy on it although I do my daily walks as recommended.

A shout out to blog reader/friend Leonia and her husband for their graciousness in offering me rides to medical dealings! I try to schedule things I can get to via train, bus and/or cab, but life is so much easier when someone goes that extra mile and offers a ride when you're not feeling well! 

We had our first heat wave of 2017 earlier this week ... in MAY. Grr. The criteria for a heat wave is three consecutive days of over 90 degrees.  One day we maxed out at 97. I don't like the heat. As I get older, I like it even less. I'd actually prefer the cold of winter (sans ice and snow) than hot humid weather. Of course, I'd prefer spring to be SPRING, not SUMMER! 

Onto this week's photos -- clicking on an image will bring up larger versions in a gallery setting ...

Is it a Potato Beetle? Or is that a falsehood?

This beetle showed up as I was shooting mites on concrete at the Bridgewater Train Station. I got a bunch of great photos of him/her. But, upon returning home, I wanted to make sure I knew what it was. I thought "Potato Beetle" but found out that this area also has False Potato Beetles! The way to tell the difference is something about white showing under its wings when it flies. I didn't see it flying, just checking out the concrete for mites or something. So, I don't really know. 

Posing for the camera

The A Team - Azaleas and Allium

It's a good thing I took this photo last Sunday when I went for my walk. Yesterday the azaleas were brown and the allium had passed and was drooping. Berckman Street, Plainfield.

Friends-ly flowers

A row of irises grow in front of the Friends (Quakers) Meetinghouse on Watchung Avenue in Plainfield.

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It used to be just Somerset Hospital

Although this is the same hospital where I had both of my knee replacements, it was bought by Robert Wood Johnson. The other local hospital run by them is supposed to be very good and it's the closest trauma center facility in the area. Other than signage, I really don't see many changes -- same staff, etc. It's still a way confusing layout and it's hard to get from here to there in the labyrinth. Out of curiosity, I did some research on who exactly was Robert Wood Johnson. Oh my -- a co-founder of Johnson and Johnson. I guess that explains the local presence of J&J around here; it's the stomping grounds of the family. I assume the original RWJ is the one the hospitals are named for -- there are about four of them through the generations. One owned the Jets football team. All the generations seemed tied into J&J. It's apparently quite the legacy.

Looking for crumbs

This European or Common Starling showed up as I feeding sparrows bread crumbs at the Plainfield Train Station. When I see the starlings outside of the city limits, specifically by the Bridgewater Train Station, I'm always amazed at the multitude of sounds they make singing their "songs." Within the city, it just seems they're raucous because they gather in such large flocks. In the country, they can shine as individuals.

It's Kousa Dogwood time!

Due to my lack of walking around this season, I missed taking shots of dogwood blossoms. But the Plainfield Train Station has its Kousa Dogwood trees -- perhaps not as aesthetically pretty as other dogwoods, but they do bear a much cooler fruit when all is said and done.

More Kousa Dogwood blossoms

Purple irises

Feasting sparrow

Nature is wondrous -- a small common bird such as a sparrow has such intricate markings! I was feeding this one at the Plainfield Train Station.

Tiny bright red mites

I think these are clover mites rather than concrete mites although they're on concrete. They seem to be too small for concrete mites. This is the best detail I could get -- in reality, they're much smaller than a pin head and scurry about quickly. To the naked eye, they look like teeny red dots moving around. If not for their color, they wouldn't even be noticeable. Bridgewater Train Station.

Late blooming azaleas

Most of the azalea bush blossoms at the TD Bank Ball Park in Bridgewater have passed. But, here and there, a bush is just coming to life. I took this shot in a light rain.

Caw! Caw!

They say crows are very intelligent and even remember certain people. Why doesn't this crow even realize I'm the one throwing bread crumbs?

Love me some irises

I love to photograph all the details of these flowers close-up. But with my limited walking about, I haven't seen any really close enough to do so. I didn't want to walk up the hill to get details on these. Sigh.

Just a puddle ... a BIG puddle

We had a brief but wild storm with heavy rain one day. Then the sun came out. I went out for my prescribed by doctor ten-minute walk and saw this reflection in a large puddle in the driveway. I had to shoot it.

The Flowering Onion

Otherwise known as Allium. It's a part of the onion, shallots and garlic family. This one hadn't fully blossomed when I shot it. But it's passed now. It all goes too quickly! Berckman Street, Plainfield.

First bee sighting of the season

I spotted this bee at the horrendously butchered used to be beautiful rhododendron bush in front of a house on Berckman Street. Why do people feel they need to do that? The bush is half the size it used to be and is sparsely blossoming. It used to be gorgeous this time of year!

Rhododendron buds

The bush refuses to die, though.

Something wild

A bush with these is growing at the Bridgewater Train Station. I'm not sure what they are. But the poison ivy there is growing all around it. I hope it doesn't choke it out because these flowers are neat.

Vincent won't let me throw it out

He sits in the box. He stands in the box. He naps in the box. He puts his toys in the box, then attacks them. It would crush his spirit if I threw it in recycling. So, the box remains. This is the first box he hasn't bit to pieces. I imagine it's because I turned the flaps in and it's tougher than he wants to chew!