House Proposes $25 Million for NF Research

There is no ALT text for this modified screenshot. 

Just as I'm considering abandoning my NF book project,"Imperfect Strangers & Lessons From Mother Nature," I receive an email (a few days ago) containing this announcement:

"... House proposes $25 Million for NF Research: The bill was advanced by the Defense Subcommittee on Tuesday and will be considered by the full House Appropriations Committee on June 12 [today] for an approval process re FY26 spending bills. We will continue to keep you posted as the bill moves through Congress over the next several months. Thank you to the NF Advocates and the NF Community for using your voices to ensure that Neurofibromatosis continues to receive the critical funds needed to keep research funded and to work towards the treatments we so desperately need..."

As you can read the goal is "to eradicate health issues, pain, isolation, and uncertainty that the diagnosis of NF inflicts."

And The House's Appropriations Committee will be meeting this morning (June 12).

There will be no funding for book projects, but the very fact that there could be funding for research, shows the need to raise awareness, and that is promising, especially since raising awareness is the goal of the book I've been composing.

* Links to details re my longstanding book project:
https://vimeo.com/338407819
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt4SvgkRXuc&t=6s

#neurofibromatosis #booksbooksbooks #imperfectstrangers

Male House Finch Dines Solo in my Garden

I came across these pictures I took of an adorable male House finch who was dining solo and al fresco in my garden.

Given my new NF (Neurofibromatosis) symptom that I spoke about in a posting on FB, I am especially thankful that I can find joy in these called little things (such as the presence of this particular bird), for I recognize that there are many people who do not feel uplifted or consoled by such happenings.

FYI, House finches are featured (along with many other bird varieties) in my books. Their covers can be seen in the next three images and more info a given book an be found within another post within this blog. Click here to access it.

Once again it's the month of June

 

MY 4TH POST ON SUBSTACK

Yesterday, June 1st, I welcomed 2025's month of June by posting content on Substasck. Check it out by clicking on the caption below the image atop this entry.

TEST YOUR POWERS OF OBSERVATION

Male House sparrow, Male Northern cardinal, Mourning dove & Male House finch

Male House sparrow, Male Northern cardinal, Mourning dove, Male House finch

Male House finch, Male Northern cardinal, Mourning doves

Male House finch, Male Northern cardinal, Mourning doves

Male House finches, Male Northern cardinal, Mourning dove

Male House finches, Male Northern cardinal, Mourning dove

Male House finches, Male Northern cardinal, Mourning dove

A few days ago before the days upon days filled with heavy rains were in full force, I took the bird-themed pictures that are included within this post.

There are seven photos within this posting and they all feature a few bird varieties who have been hanging out at one of my feeders, as well as alighting on the branches of my Contorted Hazelnut. It's as if they were having a last hurrah before the onset of relentless downpours occurred.

At first glance these images might look the same to you as their differences are very subtle, can you spot how they differ?

Other bird types are also visiting but they are not included in these pictures.

FYI, all of these bird types are featured (along with many other bird varieties) in my books.

You can find info re this matter within a post on this blog.

MEANWHILE, I'd like to give a shout out to PC who has been supplying my visiting birds with a variety of seeds. I'm not in the position to get this for them, but fortunately for the avian community, she has been able to this, for she loves observing them from the vantage point of her place and she also appreciates the songs they offer while spending time here.

I can only put my foot down figureatively. (But I'm continuing with my book project.)

In an October 2024 post here on Blogger, I discussed some consequences of my having foot surgery this past August fourteenth. Yesterday, (May twenty-seven), I had another follow up appointment with my foot surgeon where we discussed the difficulty I am having keeping my balance, due to the face that my second right toe is sticking up a bit making it hard to stand or walk as I'm unsteady due to this symptom.

To avoid undergoing a second surgery, I need to tape my foot for three months and then return to him so he can evaluate the situation. This entire scenario is very unnerving, but since there is nothing I can do to change it, I'm doing my best to focus on moving forward with my longstanding book project, Imperfect Strangers.

I've now published another post on Substack which includes an excerpt from it. 

Click on this link to read the posting.

My Second Substack Post

In a recent post here on Blogger, I announced the fact that I had published my first post on Substack. 

Yesterday I uploaded my second post to that venue. It is titled, Memorial Day: A Historical and Personal Account. You can view it by clicking here.

It's May 17th! (World Awareness Day for Neurofibromatosis)

Today, May 17th, is the day designated for promoting WORLD WIDE awareness re Neurofibromatosis (NF), a medical condition that has affected yours truly since birth, please note the verbiage (referenced within the square) in the text-based image atop this posting.

Organizations seeking to promote awareness about this affliction are asking folks to wear blue and green as a sign of their being in solidarity with the plight of one's who have NF.

Additionally, buildings across the globe are turning on blue and green lights to to show their support; as evidenced in a posting by the Children's Tumor Foundation @ https://www.ctf.org/shine-a-light-on-nf/

Unfortunately, even though I have been traumatized by many consequences related to my having NF, I don't own blue and green clothing, so I cannot help in this manner, but what I am doing to raise awareness is working on a book which is tentatively titled, Imperfect Strangers, and its content describes some of the consequences of living with NF.

A video about "Imperfect Strangers" can be found within my Vimeo and You Tube channels. Here are the links:

https://vimeo.com/338407819

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yt4SvgkRXuc&t=6s

And while I may not be wearing blue and green clothing, the European starlings who visit my garden, have blue and green features, as evidenced by the photos I'm including here in the images below:

This bird type is featured (along with many other bird varieties) in my books. You can find info re this matter within a post on my blog via this link:

https://www.thelastleafgardener.com/2018/10/one-sheet-book-series 

"A LIFE WITHOUT ANYTHING GOOD IS BAD."

Ever since my last posting here on blog, a number of months have once again passed in which, due to severe (some life threatening) health issues and other horrendous circumstances, I've been unable to post content. But here I am again and this time it's with promising news and a sincere hope that I will now be able to continue posting on a regular basis.

I'm off to a good start!

Today, I was able to get a $1.00 scoop of ice cream from Van Leeuwen Ice Cream!

Their flavor selections are truly magnificent (understatement), albeit pricey, but today, March 16, 2025, in honor of their opening a new location on the UES of NYC, they offered this tremendous price reduction!

AND, the first one hundred persons to come to this new location, were given a tote that has an image of an ice cream cone on one side and on the back, is a copy of their motto: "A LIFE WITHOUT ANYTHING GOOD IS BAD."

The collage posted atop this entry depicts my experience re taking advantage of Van Leeuwen's good and positive will, which could not have come at a better time for me, as I attempt to return to posting on this blog; and to commence with my book project, Imperfect Strangers, an endeavor which has been interrupted countless times due to the situations I mentioned in the intro to this blog entry.

Van Leeuwen's motto,  "A LIFE WITHOUT ANYTHING GOOD IS BAD," is the kick in the butt I needed  to restart my book project.

I have posted an entry on Substack to announce my moving forward on this long standing book project.