Meanwhile, down on "The Farm"!

Greetings from "The Farm"

 My blogging frequency has been suffering lately because I've run out of things to say. We live our lives day by day, for the most part repeating what we did yesterday and there is a limit on what you can say about a trip to the dentist, beach, movies, garden walk, etc. Since we arrived here on "The Farm"May first we have been busy sprucing up the place, mowing lawns, grocery trips to Traverse, visiting, my brother & family and Teddy's brother and sister & their families.

American Robin

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Downey Woodpecker

I have also been busy trying to photograph the many birds that visit the feeders that Teddy so faithfully maintains.  (click on a picture for a larger view)

American Crow

Mourning Dove

Blue Jay

Chipping Sparrow

Bluebird

Northern aka Baltimore Oriole

These are all photos that I have taken this year since we arrived May 1st.

Common Grackle

We have also had visits from Chickadees, House-sparrows, House-finches, Ring-billed gulls and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds which I haven't gotten picts this year yet.

Goldfinch

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

White-crowned Sparrow

Pileated Woodpecker 

So we haven't been just sitting around twiddling our thumbs, although now that I think of it, that might be fun except that I'm not sure I know how to twiddle.
We had previously decided that if we were going to continue spending our summers and possibly future winters here in the Traverse City area that we should probably establish a local doctor, dentist, cardiologist, optometrist etc. With that in mind we picked up all of our medical records from Dr. Mckee's office in Appleton and made a "get acquainted"appointment with a family practice physician, Dr. Rebecca Hoffman here in Traverse. It went well and we both really like her. She recommended a cardiologist and we now have an appointment to see him. We already had a local dentist, Dr. Macare Lumbrezer as Teddy had to have a crown last summer and last week we went in and had our annual cleaning; we have to go back next week, me for a crown and Teddy for a filling. Bummer! We did have one little scare in that my vision in my right eye had been deteriorating over the winter. We already had made an eye appointment later this summer for cataract evaluation. I was told at my last eye exam that I had the beginnings of a cataract. However, three weeks ago I suddenly got massive strings of floaters that sort of looked like bird nests that covered my entire field of vision in that eye. We went in and they found that I had a torn retina. The eye clinic immediately sent my across town to an eye surgeon and within two hours I was having laser surgery done on that eye. Fortunately it went well and my floaters are gradually being reabsorbed. It isn't fun getting old but at least I now know that I'm not going to die young (or rich).
Here on "The Farm"  we have finally reached the end of our remodeling and are now beginning to enjoy the fruits of our (Gerard the contractor's) labor. Over the winter Gerard drywalled and painted the ceilings in the dining room, living room and  bedroom as well as the walls in the dining room and bedroom. He also put chair rail in the dining room and crown moulding in the living room. The difference is visually striking; when we walked in May first we were gobsmacked!
Here are some photos of the place now. A far cry from when we first moved in two years ago.
(Click on picture for a larger view)

Bedroom looking toward entrance

Bathroom from Entrance

Bedroom from entrance

Dining Room looking North

Dining Room looking South

Kitchen from Dining room

Living room looking West

Living room looking North

Living room looking South