Bedlam Farm Blog Journal by Jon Katz

27 August

Flower Art, In Honor Of My Renovating Eyes, One Gorgeous Gladiola, And My New Lens. I Want To Keep Getting Better.

by Jon Katz

It’s not enough to be nice in life. You’ve got to  have nerve…

– Georgia O’Keeffe.

I couldn’t go outside for most of the day. I had to wait until the sun was nearly gone before testing my one refurbished eye, which was still covered in a shield until tomorrow. I can see that the surgery was a great success; the new eye, if I can call that, is seeing rich and deep color, which is a great surprise and gift to me. I can’t wait for the other eye to get his chance.

The sun was still blinding, but the color was rich and beautiful. I promised I’d post and blog every day, and I will.

It was a more exhausting day than I expected, but I never expected to get exhausted, a trait I need to get past at 77.

With the new lens, I’m trying to take some still photos of flowers, especially those as beautiful as the gladiolas. It gives them some space and dignity. The 50 mm is perfect for that, not for the closeups the macro lenses can do. It’s a promising debut.

 

 

I was also pleased to take out my new (old) 50 mm lens to start experimenting with it. This is my first time using it on flowers, and I chose a beautiful gladiola for the experiment. I love the color and detail on this lens; this excursion was successful. I’ve got to see the surgeon again in the morning to ensure the surgery went well; so far, so good.

It’s still a bit fuzzy, but that could be the eye drops I plopped in while I slept. I’ll be home around noon tomorrow and hope to get to the food pantry before the patrons arrive. It’s their busiest day.

Maria is an angel for driving me around; I hope she doesn’t get sick of it. If she does, she hides it generously and graciously.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

27 August

8 Items To Choose From. $3 Amazon Sales And Specials Day, Pantry Support, Tuesday. What They Really Want, What They Really Need, From Dressings To Coffee

by Jon Katz

Thanks for filling in for me while I was off fixing my eyes. Sarah says you did some wonderful work. Thanks. I can see out of one eye right now, so I’m at it again. Sarah promoted me a bit she said I ought to pick my own choices along with here. I brought the Wish List appeals into two sections, first the ones they ask for all the time – the $3 items that are in great demand and rarely available.

Secondly, I chose some dinner options now that the weather is getting cooler and energy and filling food becomes important. They cost a little more, but they are just as vital as urgent.

All of them are on the Cambridge Food Pantry Wish List and can be seen and donated daily. They can also be found on the green pantry support button at the bottom of every blog post that I put up.

You can decide what, if anything, to send to the food pantry at your earliest convenience and on your own budget to help these very hard-working people eat.

Sarah’s Wish List Appeals: What the pantry patrons want. All of those below are being offered at special prices on Amazon.

 

Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing, $2.53, 16 Fl oz Bottle, $2.53.

Near East Rice Pilaf, 6.09 Oz, $2.19.

Grated Parmesan Cheese, Shaker, 8 Oz., $2.

Wish Bone Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing, 15 Fl.oz, $2.67.

Thousand Island Salad Dressing, 15 Fl.oz, $2.50.

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Jon’s Specials: Special Sale What The Pantry Patrons Need, Special Prices on Amazon.

PLUS: Tide Laundry Detergent, Heavy Duty, 21 Loads, $5.50.

Del Monte Fresh Cut Canned Beets Sliced, Canned Vegetables, 12 Pack, 8.25 Oz Can., $12.72.

Seattle’s Best Coffee Dark Road Blend, (Pack of 3), $16.66. More than any other thing, this is the hardest for Sarah to keep on her shelve.

 

Both categories are equally important, I hope we can get some of them back on the shelves. The tide might be the most eagerly requested item on the list, but the other two are essential for families and hard to find and get at the pantry. We look for Amazon sales and special orders. Thanks so much.

27 August

Cataract Surgery Report: No Pirate Patch, But I Have Just One Eye Anyway. And Donkey Manure On My Shoe

by Jon Katz

The humorless doctors and news scoffed at my request for a pirate-like patch. Instead,  I got this cheap, ugly, and uncomfortable plastic shield.

I was told sternly not to strain my eye (or eyes) today, to rest, and to see the doctor in the morning to have my yellow shield removed.

I didn’t need to get knocked out.

The surgery itself took about nine almost entirely painless minutes. I got a mild sedative, but no anesthesia and I was grateful for that. I felt and saw everything, but it went by quickly and was a colorful light show. I felt like I was floating in space.

It took a little over two hours from sign-in to wheelchair-outs, and I had to do it again with my left eye in early September. Even though I saw it, I couldn’t believe that Doctor Solomon was replacing a part in my eye, and I was wide awake and watching.

It’s not true that this is simple and no surgery is, but it’s a walk in the park compared to open heart surgery. It is unsettling to have somebody stick even the tiniest knife in the eye while you watch, and it happened so fast I wasn’t sure it had happened at all.

I have to see the doctor early tomorrow to get checked over, and I was urged to take it easy to sleep and try not to strain my eyes. Nuts to that, I’m back at work. The shield goes in the morning.

I felt like one of those first cars in one of Henry Ford’s assembly lines; they go from one eye to the next all day. Having diabetes and heart disease, there were some hoops to jump through for me ahead of any kind of surgery, including this one.

But the good news was that when my strict, take-no-prisoners nurse asked me to confirm my age—77—she said, “Wow, you really don’t look that; you look as healthy as a horse!” I’m not sure that’s a compliment, but I was glad to hear it. She didn’t see me smile.

So, it’s back to work for me. Maria has had enough of nursing me and is back in her studio, where she belongs. Thanks to her for driving me and bringing me back.

I protested being taken out in a wheelchair, but the nurse explained that my shoes had manure on the bottoms; they didn’t want them touching the floor. I explained it was donkey manure, but that didn’t matter. The nurse looked at me strangely.

The real test will be to see if I can take some flower photos with one eye and blinding light in the sunlight.

I have no doubts, and I love this photo Maria took when she stopped to buy me an herbal iced tea. There will be a nap somewhere in here. First, here are the Cambridge Pantry Food Requests for today.

Thanks for the good wishes and kind notes. It’s true; it’s not that big a deal. I will be glad to get the other eye done and see how the renovated one is doing.

26 August

Flower Art: Squiggles And Curves, Sunshine And Light, The Souls Of Flowers

by Jon Katz

I think it is Tuesday – no, it is Wednesday – and this is certainly a place – and we have a still better one that we go to today – we got out of the car to take a walk and found a cabin under trees over a grand high rock and the sea with a sandy beach below that is so perfect I still can’t believe it is true – The sandy  beach protected by high rocks at either end and magnificent rocks rising behind it very high – soft sort of velvety rocks and out behind a vast cliff that the gulls and wild geese see to think their own…

-Georgia O’Keeffe in Quebec. The high rocks became a painting.

From My Faraway One, O’keeffe’s letters to  Alfred Stieglitz. Her letter captured the great joy of creativity and discovery.

My cataract surgery starts at 7:10 tomorrow morning and an hour or so away.

I’m excited about it. Just today, direct sunlight blinded me while I was trying to take one of my flower photos, and I had to go and get a towel, wrap it around my head, and hold a hand over one eye to get the picture I wanted. I will enjoy coming home and seeing that rich color up close.

Many people share their cataract experiences with me and tell me what to expect. I’m up to date on that. The doctors have been quite thorough, and I’ve done my homework. It isn’t open-heart surgery, that’s for sure, but I’m still amazed that they can do it all. And grateful.

I’ll be back in touch sometime tomorrow. Thanks for your support and very kind words about my flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

26 August

Eye Surgery Time For: Eight Items For The Food Pantry, Salads And Canned Chicken, Today And Tomorrow. Most Less Than $3.

by Jon Katz

Yo, friends. I’m due for my eye surgery at 7 a.m. tomorrow at an eye surgery center near Saratoga Springs.  I’ll be gone all morning, at least.

As I prepare for my surgery, I’ve realized that the Cambridge Food Pantry is out of stock and needs our help. I’ll be home tomorrow, but to be safe, I’ve decided to post eight items that the Cambridge Food Pantry Wish List desperately needs.

They’ll be up for two days; most items cost less than $3.

These items will be kept or removed from the Cambridge Wish list as they (hopefully) arrive on Amazon trucks. As usual, please feel free to make your own choices and send some of these items to the pantry or choose any of the other eight items on the wish list.

If you’re in the mood to do good and spread joy and smiles, these are on the pantry hit parade, says Sarah, the items most requested, liked, and wanted.

Your contribution, no matter how small, can be a huge morale booster for those struggling to make ends meet. You can ease their pain and bring a smile to their faces.

Imagine the joy on their faces when they see your donated items on the pantry shelves. Your act of kindness can bring a smile to their faces and warmth to their hearts.

Please help if you can. I expect to be back and running my mouth off at my computer, hopefully with a patch on my right eye. It will be nice to think of the Army of Good keeping this worthy project going, even if I’m not around.

 

1. Kraft Ranch Salad Dressing, 16 fl. oz Botti, $2.98.

2. Wish-Bone Light Thousand Salad Dressing, 15 Fl. Oz, $2.50.

3. Balsamic Vinigrette Dressing, 15 FL. oz, $2.67.

4. Kraft Chunky Blue Cheee Dressing (16 fl oz Bottle, $2.53.

5. Swanson White Premium Chunk Canned Chicken Breast In Wagter, Fully Cooked, 4.5 Oz Can (Pack of 4).

6. Grated Parmesan Cheese Shaker, 8 Oz, $2.96.

7. Seattle’s Best Roast Coffee Dark Roast Ground, Pack of 3, $16.66.

8. Tide Liquid Laundry Detergent, Clean Heavy Duty, 21 loads, 34 fl oz., $5.50.

 

I can’t thank you enough for your support of the Cambridge Food Pantry, and neither can the pressured families who are embarrassed to come and ask for help feeding their families.

This is one of the best things I’ve done; I hope you feel the same way. Bless you.

Finding a small way to help do something about it feels so good. Thanks in advance, and see you tomorrow.

You can access the food pantry Wish List day or night, seven days a week, by clicking right here on the links on this page or by going to the green button at the bottom of every blog post on my blog.

Sarah monitors the Wish List daily and removes items that can last a bit (she has little room for storage). If that happens, you can look at any remaining items. They are favorites,  missing from the pantry shelves, and in great demand.

 

 

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