A Visit

I was at work today and my all-time favorite little patient came to visit me. Well, not so little anymore, as he'll be 5 next month. He and his twin sister are up to my waist now and are chatty as can be. Cole first showed me all of his scars from the surgeries that were performed on him while he was just a wee tyke and informed me that "sometime it would be fun to live in here", pointing to the unit where I work. He obviously has no concept that he did live there for the first 4 months of his life. Thankfully, babies don't remember the weeks and months that they spend living in ICC, usually separated from their parents. Cole's mom is in awe of how perfect and healthy he is- the only remainders of his time in the hospital are those scars. Well, those and my fond memories of taking care of him from the time he was a jaundiced little 3 day old until he was 4 months old, rocking him to sleep, teaching his mom and grandma how to take care of him with all of his medical "accessories", admiring his crazy blond hair that stuck up straight and those huge blue eyes. Sigh.

Why I Love Fall

The photos say it all...

The lone tree in our little backyard

Apple picking yesterday in Waconia at Deardorff Orchards, a great little family-owned orchard on a quiet dirt road

How 'bout them apples for cooking? Made applesauce today with the Haralson "seconds"- a large bag of barely bruised or barely pecked apples for only $5. Yum.

My parents and I picked raspberries at their friends' place last week. And people wonder why I would love a place that has land and space to grow things like this!