Beautiful Summer Day

Saturday, July 30. Just got back from the second walk of the day, down to the end of the driveway where my beautiful (thank you again Susan and Dave!) studio is, and back. Felt good! Getting strong again! We went to Maine Sport this morning and got a pair of hiking poles for walking outdoors; they are going to serve me well. Anyone wanting some more dahlias for their garden should come and get some. I have a bunch in pots that are looking chlorotic from lack of fertilizer (nitrogen) but they are all either in bloom or about to flower. They need to be in the ground which I can't do! So give me a call, come by and grab some. Most are Endless Summer Farm (in Camden)varieties, there is also one called Waterlily originally from Barb Walch's farm. Beautiful, beautiful summer in Maine.

Easily amused

Friday, July 29. It amuses me that it took an event of this magnitude to get me to slow down long enough to appreciate the wonders of communicating with people this way. I now realize my posts don't have to be long or top notch pieces of writing. After a miserable night fighting gas and nausea as my system attempts to get back to normal after the abdominal surgery and meds I took a long (longest yet) walk down to the studio at the end of the driveway and watched while Bart watered the gardens. Walking is a slow process and not being able to bend even to deadhead a daylily is bizarre and so contrary to my usual experience in the garden I am left to take the time to admire what I have created. When I can stand for longer lengths of time I will get back to my art. For now, it's reassuriong to feel the Appleton Ridge breezes on my body. I am alive!

A little more of the story

It's Thursday, July 28 so it has been a good ten days since the accident. I've recounted parts of what happened to people along the way and I've just read Eva's account of what happened. As we taxied down the runway on the island I waved, as I always do, to my Dad and other family members and friends who see the planes off. We were in the air only briefly before I was aware of the engine trouble and Rob saying something, though I don't remember what it was. Next thing I knew there was the impact of hitting the water and the plane began to sink fast. I saw the water rising out my window and thought to myself," If I don't get this door open RIGHT NOW I won't be able to push it open against the water." So I undid my seatbelt and I did, and I got out. Once my head was above water I looked around for the others and almost right away saw K.C., with her bloody chin,on the other side of the plane. Then I saw Rob and then we waited for Eva. It was long enough that I cried out "Eva! Eva needs to get out!! Where is Eva??" Then she surfaced, with blood, lots of it, on her face. From somewhere there was the flotation pod, I'm told from the belly of the plane. The rest of the plane disappeared fast. The four of us clung to this thing, trying to keep our heads above water and not swallow more salt water than we already had. Rob had a whistle which he blew on every few seconds. Eva had a strong consistant kick. We were trying to kick our way to the island which didn't seem that far away. At one point I decided I would try to swim to the isalnd and I let go of the flotation thing. K.C. said, "Where are you going?" And I said "I'm going to swim to the island." "Not in that direction you aren't" Then they all told me to get back there with them. I obeyed. Rob kept saying they were coming for us. I thought it was taking a long time, I was so cold. I floated on my back now and then to save energy.
I began to lose my energy. The Rob said "There's a boat!" and I looked up and saw a boat screaming toward us. Clayton got K.C. aboard his boat first then me, I think. I remember reaching for the gaff then having strong arms pulling me up and intot he boat where I saw K.C. curled up on the deck. After that I gave myself over to the rescuers and my memories are spotty: Robin Tarkelson talking to me, saying my name, Samantha's face, others I did not recognize. I was so cold. They were working hard to get me warmed up. I felt no pain at that point, just cold.

Mending

Hello everybody. I knew that if I promised to startposting on my blog I would have to hold myself to it, so here goes. I have now been home for as many days as I was in Maine Medical in the truma unit. Great team down there, if you should ever know anyone who has to go there (god forbid). While there I was treated for severe hypothermia, numerous abrasions and bruises, a herniated colon requiring immediate surgery, and a fractured back. I am grateful that the back brace I am now sporting seems to be doing its job of keeping the vertebrae lined up so my back can heal on its own; Karen, who was next to me in the back of the plane, was not so lucky and had to have back surgery. Eva is back out on the island and I am sure with her strength and spunk is doing well and getting back into all that she does for the island. I will try to attach to this post the picture sent to me by Lisa Twombley, one of the islanders involved in the rescue. When I looked just now at the pictures of the plane after it had been recovered I began to feel sick. So that's all for now. Suffice it to say that I feel extremely lucky to be alive. I want to correct the information that we were in the water for a mere 20-30 minutes. More like 45-50. At one hour you begin to succomb. Love, Abbie

More photos of the gardens

Open Studio and Garden Tour

There was a fantastic turnout for the 20th annual Gardens of the Watershed tour on Sunday, July 10,this year. ARTgarden was one of the six featured gardens and the generous people of the Georges River Land Trust allowed me to open my art studio to the public for the event. Over 500 people came through, admired the many garden beds and had a chance to look at not only my art but my many collections of cool stuff. My niece Madeline was here making twig structures for the garden and got a number of commissions. Doug Smith painted two pictures on site for the art auction and my buddy Jessica Straus oversaw the sales of art and various other things from the studio. Bart did a fantastic job answering questions of all kinds and seeing that people did not feel parking-challenged along the driveway. It was so successful I plan to host another Open Studio event in mid September. Meanwhile, if anyone wants to come admire my gardens in their unusually tidy state please come by! (Well, call first, I might be working somehwere else.)