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Frustrating times ...

21 comments


With the restrictions now in place to try to prevent further spread of the COVID-19 virus our lives have certainly changed in many ways.

My last outing was on Monday 16th March, firstly to my Chiropodist and then to the hairdresser, both of which are now closed until restrictions are lifted.

Still, at least my feet and hair are looking good!

As I fall into the ‘high risk’ category with health issues, so my GP informs me, I have left the weekly shopping to Michael. I’ll be honest, I didn’t really want to queue for 35 minutes out in the car park on the ‘one in, one out’ system anyway!

I have sown some flower seeds, tidied out the greenhouse (with help from M) and left the Penstemon cuttings in as it’s far too chilly to let them go outdoors yet.

A couple of lovely GoY members kindly sent me plants and seeds, potted up and, mostly, sown now.

Most of the Sweet Peas sown last Autumn are hardening off outdoors,just a few aren’t quite big enough yet.

When the temps. are a little higher than yesterday and today, soon please, the Sweet Peas will be planted to climb up an arch and some obelisks.

I have decided that in our garden, yellow is the colour of early Spring …

The Daffodils come in many shades, forms and sizes …

As if there isn’t enough to fret over right now, our elderly cat, Megan, had developed a snore, quite amusing at first, then she began shaking her head and seemed to be ‘swallowing/gulping’ one evening.

I did wonder if she had a fur ball she couldn’t dislodge, then she started sneezing and, to our amazement, a long piece of grass appeared from her nostril! I managed to pull out the blood covered grass and she’s been absolutely fine ever since. No Vet fees to pay then, phew!

That photo was taken last Summer when the Passion Flower was in leaf. Just bare stems now, but it should return soon.

Sedum ‘Autumn Charm’ thrives in my garden and all the divisions are from a cutting sent by GoY member Scottish some years ago …

Hostas kept in cold greenhouse are showing signs of waking up!

and finally, a reminder to keep smiling through these unprecedented times we find ourselves in.

Keep in touch and keep safe and well everyone.

More blog posts by shirley_tulip

Previous post: First blog of 2020

Next post: Palm Sunday ... please take a walk with me.



Comments

 

Snap ,Shirley,as I am in the 'at risk' category too,but we seem to be following the Gov.Guidelines,so that's all we can do ..
Your garden is looking lovely,and Yellow is definitely the colour of the month,isn't it? It's great to see everything coming to life again,and I'm especially glad to hear Megan is much better now,although I did smile at the reason she has been feeling 'off' lately ! ha ha .She is looking very perky again,despite her age :o)
Glad you and Michael are ok,despite the current situation..stay safe..xx

31 Mar, 2020

 

Very cheery blog,Shirley..Spring flowers certainly do it don't they?
You were lucky with your Hairdresser and Chiropodist appointments...My hair will probably be long enough to plait before long.

31 Mar, 2020

 

Lovely yellow spring flowers, certainly cheered me up. I also am waiting to do some sewing, have ordered some coir plugs and am curious how they perform. I still have the variegated sedum you sent me a while back thriving all over the garden. Not sure if It’s the same variety as the one in picture but does look similar.

31 Mar, 2020

 

Poor Megan! That must have been horrible for her - she must have had a sore throat afterwards!

If the puffin does encourage good germination will you let us know, lol?

Re hairdressers, goodness knows how shaggy we will be by the time we are allowed out again! I used to cut my own hair long ago - hope I can still do it...but nobody will see if its a disaster anyway!

Its nice to see blue flowers with daffodils. I had a free crop of speedwell this year. Didn't pull it out so there will be reminders for years to come...

Don't you get tired of being reminded all the time that your are over 70? Gets you down after a while...

31 Mar, 2020

 

Sandra, Spring is certainly my favourite season as so much appears to cheer us up after the Winter. PM on the way to you later.

Julia, I have just watched a short video of men and boys cutting, or sometimes shaving off their hair, disastrous results!

The Sedum IS the same one Amsterdam. So pleased it likes your garden too ... :o)

Right then Sue, slapped wrist for you as I'm NOT over 70 yet! I'm the same as cricketer Joe Root, well, his number .....

31 Mar, 2020

 

Lovely blog Shirley! Thank goodness wee Megan sorted herself! I think the vets here are pretty much closed at the moment, but you can get emergency treatment of course. As for the restrictions...they are temporary. I keep reminding myself. Scott is struggling a lot more than me...but that means I have my own struggles!! He has been very good at getting the food in for us. I’m not complaining...only I think a lot of marriages will be tested over this time! ;)

31 Mar, 2020

 

Everything is looking good Shirley and lots of new plants to look forward to , I'm so pleased you spotted Megan's problem and was able to help her , I think your right Karen especially if families are cooped up in tiny rooms or flats ..

31 Mar, 2020

 

Poor Megan, so pleased she is okay. You have lots of lovely yellows, so cheery!

My hubby cuts my hair, has done for years, and he does his own too, so we're okay with that anyway - I picked well when I got him! Ha-ha!

31 Mar, 2020

 

Poor Megan, I bet that was sore Shirley, talk about bad timing, we had an emergency with our Toffee cat last Friday, we'd kept an eye on him as noticed he was limping on the Tuesday, I thought he'd pulled a claw or strained something as I couldn't find anything suspect , anyway by Thursday night his paw and leg were very swollen, poor lad screamed when I picked him up, rang the vet Friday, they're very well organised, explained to receptionist, who advised us to make a phone appointment, unfortunately we did have to go, only as far as the carpark, they came out to fetch him, paid over the phone, no fracture, the poor lad had a punture wound that became infectious, magic medicine worked and he is alright now..That was my last outing and I've told all pets no more emergencies, thankfully no shopping needed at all in the last week, we're all high risk here even my Sherryl who is working from home, we take it in turns, I did our main shop, took me three hours cos that included queuing to go in and then back out, I hate shopping anyway but at least they were rationing things so I managed, when we need fresh milk, diet coke and chocolate LOL..Sherryl will nip down, we have to stay calm Shirley don't we......
Gardens all looking lovely, its so nice to see our spring flowers and bulbs, blimey we need some colour in our lives don't we, I too have been sowing seeds, gotta have something to keep us busy, that bit I'm always happy with, no-one allowed to visit now as you know,causing me to have to stop and be sociable, lol, that does sound rude doesn't it, enjoy your gardening Shirley and try to stay healthy both of you..xx

31 Mar, 2020

 

Trying times Shirley......we have been self isolating for three weeks.....we started earlier....and being much older than you and yours, we have been doing online shopping on and off for years...
I hate to think what we are going to look like in six plus months....scary!😱
Poor puss, thank heavens you got that sorted!!
Mellow yellow in your garden.....lovely....spring has sprung....just need some warmer weather atm...

31 Mar, 2020

 

a cheerful blog Shirley and I too have lots of yellow in the garden but also lots of blue to complement them.

can I just say I have realised what your avatar is. I thought it was a pair of welly boots, beige toes changing into grey tops. on the larger screen I can see its a landscape at sunset with trees. Ah well perhaps I need my eyes testing as well as my hair cutting.

31 Mar, 2020

 

Seaburn...I thought it was a pair of boots .!!

31 Mar, 2020

 

Thanks Karen, Amy and Sunny ... :o)))

Lincs, poor Toffee cat, such a shame animals can't tell us when they're in pain, or where it hurts! Glad he's alright now. We did a half hour walk this morning, saw one man and his dog and one runner, all of whom gave us a wide berth!

Seaburn, I used to have lots of Forget-me-nots, too many really and uprooted a lot last year. As I can't abide Muscari, and try hard to remove them, I fear I have mistakenly pulled up the Chinodoxas, thinking they were Muscari. Only have a couple of the pretty pale blue ones.

Dotty, what are you two like??? Michael was looking over my shoulder as I read your comments about my avatar and he said "Oh yes, I can see a pair of boots now". That's 3 of you booking in for eye tests then ... !!!

31 Mar, 2020

 

oops ! sorry Shirley ,I also thought your Avatar was a pair of boots too ,so my cataract removals seems not to have worked in this instance then ? neither did my reading Glasses ! lol.. I'll go with Michael,Angela and Eileen .:o) x

31 Mar, 2020

 

Right, I've had a look again at it and can now see what you all think you see. The left 'boot' looks as though it is 'flopping' against the right ... actually the right boot ... this is getting confusing now ... :o))

1 Apr, 2020

 

Love your spring planting definitely makes a statement of things to come, and I just wish my greenhouse was as tidy and organized.

1 Apr, 2020

 

so its not just my eyesight and weird mind that interpreted it. haha I knew watching clouds as a kid wasn't all wasted. Hubby can never see it though my girls did and still do.

1 Apr, 2020

 

Some great Narcissus you have there Shirley tulip you have been busy . I dont think I would want to queue either for shopping. I see you have the old fashion primrose there gorgeous. So pleased your Megan is better now thanks to you finding the grass blade lovely photo of her.

1 Apr, 2020

 

Good luck with your seeds Shirley, they look neat and tidy so should do well :o)
I hope Megan is all right now, what a strange thing to happen ...

3 Apr, 2020

 

Phyl, if you could have seen the messy greenhouse before we tidied it up you would have thought what a messy gardener I am!! One of the seed trays already has tiny leaves appearing ... Marigolds ... which always germinate quickly.

Sbg, I still see the trees at sunset.

3d, those Primroses were originally from Helston, Cornwall many moons ago and pop up all around the garden. I love them.

Hywel, it was obvious something was wrong with Megan when she kept on shaking her head. All a bit scary at first but I'm so pleased she is fine now. She's doing what she does best right now, sleeping, ha ha!!

3 Apr, 2020

 

That's great you have then all about you can get them in pink too but harder to find. The church yard next door to me have quite a few like yours.

3 Apr, 2020

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