An update on two fronts.
It’s been four days since I posted to my blog which is unusual for me, even given my fairly recent back surgery. So I decided it was past time to bring my readers up to date on a couple of things.
Persistent and appalling shooting conditions (weather) for photography is the primary reason I haven’t been posting. I’ve been staying home instead of going shooting, resulting in a lack of recent decent photos. And I don’t like to post too many old photos or rerun too many older posts. When March rolls around, as it already has, our weather typically gets better and so do bird prospects so I hope to get back to some semblance of my usual posting routine very soon.
As long as I’m bringing folks up to date I’ll take the opportunity to inform readers of my recent and significant medical milestone. As of yesterday at 8 AM, for the first time in about seven months, I don’t have another doctor, physical therapy or MRI appointment looming in front of me. Yesterday my surgeon told me another appointment wasn’t necessary and I can do my PT at home without having to see a therapist again. Those damn medical appointments have screwed up more good-weather shooting mornings than you can shake a tripod at.
My recovery from this third back surgery has been agonizingly slow but the positive trend has finally picked up noticeably. Full recovery could take as long as a year after my surgery date (September 26) but at this point I’m mostly pain free (unless I push it too hard and too fast, which I’m prone to do) and my life has been getting back to something similar to “normal”. I still have setbacks so the upward curve isn’t a steady one but the overall trend is decidedly positive.
With spring on our doorstep the timing couldn’t be better. For the last week or so as I drift off to sleep I’ve been having visions of spring birds in my viewfinder. Last night it was…
1/1000, f/8, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
mated Sandhill Cranes calling to each other in flight. One night it was Sage Grouse performing on their lek and another time it was mating Red-tailed Hawks in my viewfinder.
I’m way past ready for the real thing.
Ron
A little late, but happy as can be to find such good news. While you can’t control the weather, you’ve clearly been diligent in doing what’s been necessary to bring about recovery: hooray for you!
I laughed at your mention of your unpleasant dreams. A few weeks ago, I dreamed that my car had been stolen. The dream was so vivid, I got up at 3 a.m. to go out into the parking lot and make sure the car still was there. It was.
Shoreacres, I keep my camera gear in a bookcase directly in front of my bed. More than once after one of those dreams I’ve gotten up and turned on the light just to make sure my lens was where it should be.
Late on posting, just wanted to add my 2 cents worth to your post. Good to hear you are doing wonderful, and maybe have a little free time at home. You will be out and about before you know it with the huge lens by your side. Just rest up a few more weeks.
Thanks, Trudy.
Hey Ron, that’s great news! It’s a real grind to get through therapy, and just the time it takes to recover. Glad you’re seeing good results and hope the weather changes enough to encourage you to get out.
Love the sandhill picture!
Thanks very much, Quentin.
Glad things are looking up, health-wise, Ron! Sounds like your bird dreams are much more pleasant than mine. I was trying to save an asshole duck (and some other ducks and dogs) from being run over by an industrial lawnmower in my dream last night. 🙄🦆
We’ve had truly bizarre weather out here — driving rain, hail, high winds with huge gusts, and blizzards in the mountains. My old music camp had 5.5 feet last week with over 7 ft drifts. They’re snowed in as are many others in the area. They started to dig out over the weekend and got more snow dumped this week (drifts up to eye-level against their house). There was also snow on the Hollywood sign, which isn’t that high, as even I’ve hiked up there.
Marty, Thankfully my bird dreams, when I have them, are always pleasant. But I have a really weird tendency when it comes to my unpleasant dreams. In that type of dream I’ve always lost something important and can’t find it, no matter how hard and long I look. Usually it’s either my lens or my pickup. Twice it’s been both.
I feel like Franz Kafka ain’t got nothin’ on my bizarre dreams. 😂
I think Freud would be in his element with many of mine.
I love the uplifting note of the sandhills. I love seeing them here in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho.
Heal!
I’m working on it, Arwen.
Glad to hear that the recovery trend is generally upward and improvements are now more the norm. And spring is coming. It’s been cooler than normal with snow in the surrounding hills. We’ve had snow on the valley floor in the past couple of days but only enough to know it snowed during the night and if you look hard to see bits of white in the grass. But the Rufous Hummingbirds are beginning to arrive and some of our many Yellow-rumped Warblers (30-50 are at our feeding station every day) are beginning to look more colorful. It shouldn’t be long before that lens leads you to may happy rewards.
Thank you, Dan. Actually, “that lens”l ed me to several happy rewards just this morning. If they’re sharp. I should know soon.
I absolutely love good news in the morning, even without “new” photos—so glad to hear you’re feeling on the upside of the last 8 months’ travails. The doctor’s pronouncement must have made you giddy with relief!
As for the birds of your dreams—I have no doubt that soon you’ll be seeing them and so many others IRL, and you know we can’t wait for all of it! This winter can’t last forever … right? 😉
“The doctor’s pronouncement must have made you giddy with relief”
Giddy and just a tad bit nervous, Chris. I guess I’m fledging…
It’s great to hear positive news about your ongoing recovery Ron. And that is a beautiful photo of the cranes – thanks for sharing.
Bill, I think it’s my favorite crane photo. I was happy to have an excuse to post it again.
I love that photo of the sandhill cranes.
Get well soon Ron.
I’m trying to, Patrick. Thanks.
Good news! And sweet dreams.
Thanks, Nina.
Take heart! During last week’s break in the weather, we saw and heard thousands of Sandhills migrating your way from central NM. Spring weather seems to have lost its way this week. Surely it will be muster another attack on winter soon, very soon!
May you soar like the cranes!
Now that would be fun!
I was thinking about knocking on your door to make sure you were OK, but I hate airports and its a long drive.
Normal people have visions before falling asleep. Only you see them through your viewfinder.
Good news on the back front. Keep up the PT. It’ll make us all feel better.
Lyle, I hate airports (and the entire flying experience) more than anyone I know. Other than when I flew to FL to be with Shannon after her accident I haven’t flown since 1991. Don’t intend to ever again.
Keep up the good work, Ron! Delighted to see FP in my inbox this am, just in time for spring.
Thank you, Diane.
I know that picture – one of my favorites! I am always formulating dialog for what I imagine he is saying to her as they fly along. Makes me smile and joke with my sweetie.
To wit: “What was wrong with that last nesting spot?”
Ready for spring: you and me both, brother! We have had 9 feet of snow at the house up high in the Wasatch in Jan/Feb. It will be some months of melting before we see green grass again.
Art, I saw that Alta has had 46′ (that’s feet) of snow already, with another month left in their snow season. Pretty impressive.
Good to hear from you Ron. Was beginning to wonder.
Hope you take it easy and not push it too much. Of course, if it were me, I’d probably not pay much attention to such advice. But you know most of us are always great at giving advice and seldom practitioners of same.
Be well!
“most of us are always great at giving advice and seldom practitioners of same”
That’s me to a T, Michael. Especially when it comes to advice involving recovery from surgery.
GREAT news! 🙂 Guessing you’re well motivated to keep up with your PT at home…..know it can be a challenge. 😉 Certainly don’t want to do any more of this!
Sandhill Crane shot is grogeous! I’ve never seen one in that pose in flight. 🙂
“Guessing you’re well motivated to keep up with your PT at home”
Who says I “keep up”, Judy… 🙂 I’ll admit, sometimes I don’t. PT is a PITA!
It IS boring among other things – have to remind myself why I’m doing it when I need to……. 😉 Have a hip issue that “reminds” me……
I’m supposed to keep doing PT at home for a year after my surgery. We’ll see how THAT goes…
Very hopeful news and such an expressive image. Except for medical appointments and tests, I have not walked outside for over a week. but unlike you, I go ahead and post my fuzzy window shots.
Kenneth, I don’t take photos through my windows, in part because my big lens usually won’t focus through them. Same for windshields, believe me I’ve tried.
Love the Sandhill Cranes photo Ron. Interesting post and very glad to hear from you. I think your Utah snow moved down here to Prescott big time last night. I have not gone out yet to get the paper etc, but thinking has to be at least 5 or more inches. Based on my experience with friends here who have had serious back surgery, some older than you, who have fully recovered, I think you will be 100% in the near future. Tough weather conditions for bird photography here too – sometimes just blah grey with no adequate light, but spring is coming.
Thanks, Everett. Eventually I hope to do as well as those friends you mentioned.
We were about to call out Search and Rescue.
No doctor appointment on the horizon would send my wife into a cane-supported happy dance! (Please, don’t do that yet!) Sure hope the recovery progresses and you’re able to resist that “over-doing it” thing. I have the same disease.
Beautiful photograph of the Sandhill Cranes! We had a flock of about 60 fly overhead toward the north last week near the central Florida Gulf coast.
Spring is on the way!
Ha, I don’t dance even when I’m feeling spry. Never have, no good at it. Thanks, Wally.
Hurrah, so glad for the good new and enjoyed the beautiful birds…as you so often enable me to do! Snow still here in N Massachusetts and many species at our feeder on the edge of deep forests. Continued bon courage and best wishes!!
Thanks, Mary. Wish I had deep forests nearby…
What lovely bedtime visions! So happy to hear your back is healing – albeit slowly. God’s way of telling you to smell the roses 🙂
Thanks, Kathleen. I’m sniffin’ away…
So happy to see “Feathered Photography” on my in mail dock this morning !
I imagine the Sandhill Crane to the right to be gobbling, “Ron’s BAAACK–
he’s really baaack, and Spring’s a-comin’ ! Life is GOOOD !”
Kris, that crane on the right is the male of the pair. Whatever he was telling her he was saying it loud!
Great news!!!
Thanks, Sue.
Wow, Ron!! Such good news!! Just don’t over do it. I also know the frustration of dealing with Doctor appts!! The best news is that this 3rd back surgery has been a success!!
“The best news is that this 3rd back surgery has been a success!!”
Joann, in this case “success” is a matter of expectations and degree but compared to some of the possiblities I’ll take my results. So far at least.
Great choice of photo to express your heart-felt expectations for a better-quality life!!
Thanks, Terri.