The composition in the photo below wasn’t orchestrated to tell a story – not at all. This image capture was very much a rushed affair, however this one ‘phone photo’ snap does completely explain my absence in the blogging world.
Hello again everyone 🙂 I hope you are all enjoying sunny, summer days outdoors relaxing, gardening or gardenwatching. Sometimes (like now for me) we are only able to grab small time slots in the garden but to my mind that just makes them all the more precious.
The graduation cupcakes (for my eldest daughter) were a bit of a challenge for my youngest to make as she is in recovery after re-construction knee surgery. She has been 5 weeks in a brace and has been allowed no weight bearing on her knee. Being in crutches, she has needed my help for everyday things. This week’s physio appointment takes her to the next stage of partial weight bearing for 6 weeks… Yay!!
Yay to newly graduated, Physio, sister too who qualified the day before her sister’s knee op. What are the chances of that? She too has faced many difficult health issues and challenges during her 5 years at Uni. Sadly that continued to her last few days as a student with the sudden death of her only surviving Grandad. The photo above shows sympathy cards in the background. At the moment we are in the midst of funeral prep and begin another difficult week.
Meanwhile coming back to minimal gardenwatching, bees have been buzzing around plants and I’ve been capturing the odd garden photos and video which will be coming soon. Blackbirds and Dunnocks have been feeding their young in the garden, hedgehogs are visiting at night and my monocarpic meconopsis has put on a great show (it was yellow). Oh yes… and my wisteria has been wonderful in flower as are my (mail order plug plants) ‘Illumination’ Foxgloves which both I and the bees are loving!
I’m delighted with how my border plantings are taking shape and currently await the first Japanese anemone flower buds to open (bringing hoverflies to feed). I do hope to get back to regular blogging soon. Meantime, I’d love to hear the highlights of your garden at the moment 😀
This post was published by Shirley for shirls gardenwatch in July 2013.
Happy and sad times; that's families for you. Sorry for your loss, but I'm sure Grandad will be looking down at your daughters with pride.
I hope things look up for your family very soon Shirl. We often seem to hit times like this don't we but it makes us appreciate the good times even more.
As the saying goes – it never rains but it pours.
Beautiful cupcakes Shirl. Well done to both daughters.
Hoping the knee physio progresses smoothly.
Oh Shirley, it sounds like you are swinging from high highs to low lows emotionally. I do hope you find some peace in your garden through out all of this. Congrats to your Eldest. Best of luck healing to your youngest and my sympathies to all. Big hugs…
I'm so sorry to hear about the loss in your family and of the other health issues in the family. Hopefully things will be better the rest of the year and you can enjoy some time in the garden.
A time of joy tinged with sadness.
Congrats to your eldest on her graduation; hope your youngest continues to heal and my condolences on your loss. Time is a great healer so take care.
Hello again everyone, thanks for all your very kind and supporting comments. .
I'm always so surprised when after lean posting times that I still have anyone still following my blog! I really do appreciate your visits. I'm continuing to capture photos and video when I can and have lots to share some rainy days 🙂
Thanks, my eldest is now one of the positive stats getting a job in what she graduated to do! She began it less than 2 weeks after she graduated too – a serious result there. Fingers crossed this position is made permanent 😀 My knee op and garden/nature reserve visiting daughter companion is out of her brace and crutches free and at present on her first swimming session as requested by physio's as I type this on my phone. She is building up strength in her knee and muscles again. Haha… I should be doing the same in the garden and get that pond liner down 😉