The Magic Hour

The old shed. The wood is cut but not finished milling because it came from the lumber mill. The planks are 1 inch thick. If it was milled finish it would be 3/4 inches thick.

The little shed in the lower left center is the old well pump house. Nothing like early morning light, it's so soft and the colors are soft like, sort of a pastel look. That old well house is being eaten by moss and slowly falling apart.

The tree with white on it is an apple tree that was knocked over on December 3, 2008. The snow was so heavy it broke the roots. I trimmed it up and painted the trunk to keep it from over heating in the direct sun light. There are still ropes that I used to hold the tree in place. I used a lot of rope, webbing, levers to pull the tree back up. I cut about half the tree off to lighten it up so I could pull i up. It took about three days. Two days working on the tree, trimming it. Another day was clean up and bring the tools and bi-pod down to the house. It was also the first time I got a pinched nerve in my back which kept me laying down for a month until I got to a doctor for prednesone a steroid that reduces swelling. I couldn't believe the amount of pain I was in. I couldn't do anything because moving just caused more pain. To get up and out of bed I had to roll out. I got myself into what looked like a sitting position laying on me side. I'd bring my feet to the floor the same time I brought my body up. That was the fast version of getting up but took a while to figure that out. At first I was rolling over letting me feet touch the floor laying on my stomach.  From there I'd push with my arms to get me moving upward and would work my feet under my body. I as in a squatting position. Then all I had to do is push with my legs to get fully upright.All this while trying to keep my back from bending. I really didn't know what to do at the time. After a few weeks of the pain not lessening I went to a pain clinic. That lasted through 2009 and 2010. I got surgery in February 2011. I had more pinched nerves over that period. I can't believe all the pain I went though and all the time I lost. I think I put off surgery partly because of fear, since I had two back surgeries 20 years earlier. Compared to the first two this one was a lot more. I had the first part of the surgery on February 2 where they went in through my stomach. February 4 was 15 or 19 hours and they put little bone spaces in with titanium rods bolted to my spine and hips I gained 5 inches which I had lost over time as my disks wore down. It's not over just yet, I'm still recovering one year later. Next is to get my knee fixed. Doctor says I need a metal knee replacement. So won't be doing any running now and in the future. Everyone says I'm doing great but at times I don't feel it. I'm just going through some stress. I should be grateful I'm up and walking around even if it's with a painful limp.