Friday, 28 July 2023

A breath of fresh air

 I wasn't in a gardening mood today, so I did some family history, began to write a letter whilst watching Escape to the Country, and got a short walk in.



As you can see, the showground campsites are pretty well empty now - just a few caravans around this morning, probably from people still clearing the site.



A fencepost staring at the view . . .  How did I not notice that was there?!



Above and below: an old fallen tree in the field by the young plantation.  It looks like it might have been a big Hawthorn in its prime.




Square Stemmed St John's Wort.  You can feel the stem is square to touch.  The Perforate St John's Wort has tiny holes in the leaves, and the S.S. has not, which is obviously how you tell the difference!


Knapweed.  I have some of this in the little wild flower patch in the orchard this year.  I think it was in the wild flower mix.



Yarrow.



Meadowsweet.




What a difference a day makes.  Not quite lined up but the only vehicles left on this parking area are the toilet block? in the bottom picture.





Lots of clouds have been making a lovely skyscape all day but just a few drops of rain today.

From the few words, you will probably guess I am tired. Keith is exhausted - he has been asked to cut down on his Thyroxine meds and this is the result.  It took him 45 minutes to get from the living room, upstairs into bed last night. (I was desperately tired and wonder how I managed to stay awake).  He also has oedema again, and can barely get about.  His blood pressure decided to be high one day, which was scary but back within limits now.  It's SO hard to get the drugs balanced so he functions properly.

Off to sit down with a book now.  Have a good weekend everyone.




15 comments:

  1. And you BB. Enjoy your book. S is just clearing up after our supper (quinoa, homemade sweet pepper and tomato sauce made by me first thing, raw baby and very thinly sliced yellow and stripey green courgettes picked this evening and fresh basil - absolutely delicious and so colourful) then we intend to flop in front of the cricket highlights followed by Monty at Long meadow. I’ve been at work today, S went on a long cycle and the homework box has been ticked by the the window cleaner (a lovely lad of 18 yo!) coming this morning. Tomorrow I’m going on a yoga day - 10-4 in the village hall - and I’m looking forward to meeting more kindred souls from my yoga teacher’s other classes. Sarah x

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    1. I didn't get far with the book, but I did write most of a letter. Your supper sounds lovely - Keith wouldn't touch ANY of the ingredients though! Basically, if he didn't eat it in the 1950s, he certainly wouldn't touch it now! He won't even eat pasta or rice (they taste of nothing apparently . . . well now, you add the tasty bit in what is served with them.) His mother told him curries were made with meat that was going off and Chinese restaurants kept dead Alsations in the fridge, to cook up.

      I have 2 of Monty's programmes to catch up on, but have at least watched the latest Who Do You Think You Are.

      I hope you are enjoying your yoga day today.

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  2. Beautiful flowers.
    It is difficult to balance meds...pirate has to deal with things like a pendulum, going from one extreme to the other..when we just need a happy medium

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    Replies
    1. Ah yes, the happy medium. Sometimes I wonder if, with Parkinsons, there is such a thing.

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  3. Lovely post, I will come back and comment properly after doggy walks, BUT I wanted you to know I posted pics of the hollyhock applique textile on my blog [at the very end, for you], plus research into tiny blue mystery weed. Yes you were correct! It is Lacy Phacelia [not hog cress!/ Google's suggestion.]. However did you know!???
    More later

    lizzy at gone to the beach.

    PS If done now I'd needleturn the Hollyhocks, but I was, back then, experimenting w my new machine's stitches, this was a satin stitch applique, quite awful.

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    1. Thank you for the Hollyhock details. I am torn in different directions right now - a quilt to finish, my heirloom quilt to start, x-stitch but I am concentrating on the garden in between heavy showers. I must have seen the Phacelia in a magazine or something. It's very pretty anyway.

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  4. Oh dear, I do wish they could get Keith's meds sorted. Enjoy your book.

    God bless.

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    1. You and me both Jackie. It's such a worry. He got up the stairs at the normal speed last night - the previous evening it took him 3/4 of an hour. I thought he was going to be bedbound the next day.

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  5. Have a lovely restfull weekend. So sorry they can't keep Keith's health problems stable. I know it's not common in the British Isles, but a downstairs bedroom would be convenient some nights

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    1. Well, when he does become bedbound it will have to be a downstairs hospital bed in the library, though Lord knows where the big yew table will go. We don't have a downstairs bathroom either. Not looking that far ahead right now.

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  6. Keith's situation is so changeable. That would be the scary thing to me. I hope your book is a good one.

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    1. It is, which is what makes it so stressful. The BP is back under control now but his neck is so painful, that is what is stopping him moving around easily as it affects his balance.

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    2. The TENS unit was no help? I've often wondered. It was such a miracle for my neck.

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  7. Have as restful weekend as you can. Having been hauled and dragged down the path of illness with my lovely husband I can imagine the ups and down and stresses of your life. Thank you for your writing which is one of the only blogs I read these days. It is full of interesting musings and lovely pics. Take care and enjoy your book - hopefully with some sunshine.

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  8. I am trying to balance it between indolence and work right now with the pendulum heavier on the indolence side!

    Thank you for the praise for my blog - it is a pale shadow of what it used to be - it's hard to string a sentence together some days.

    Right, this won't do. I need to remove Lulu from the table where she is interested in Keith's lunch, and get my gardening clothes on.

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