Sunday, July 2, 2017

Burnets


Thanks for all the advice yesterday about my forehead swelling. I don't think it's an infection or anything -- there's no fever or redness or tenderness. It's just facial puffiness. I now look like this.

Seriously, I expect it to subside on its own in a few days. I read online (where the information is always reliable) that swelling is at its worst two to four days after a procedure. So I'm almost at the point where it should begin waning, but if it sticks around I'll go to the doctor. And if I have to travel with it, so be it.

As long as the airline doesn't make me pay for an extra carry-on.


Olga and I went back to the cemetery yesterday, giving me a chance to check out the butterfly garden. (Which in fact isn't a garden so much as an unmowed corner of the cemetery, full of wildflowers.) We found these six-spot burnet moths fluttering around, feasting on the thistles and knapweed. They have a red underwing, and when they fly, they look vividly red and black. Aren't they beautiful? One of my favorite summer critters.

There's a community festival in West Hampstead this weekend, at Fortune Green. Olga didn't understand why I wouldn't play Kong with her there, even though there were about 100 people milling around in the small park! Food stalls, tables of bric-a-brac, costumes, charities. After we came back home we'd occasionally hear snippets of songs from the festival's live bands drifting in through our living room windows -- "Back in the USSR" was one tune I recognized.

13 comments:

Alphie Soup said...

Everything will be alright in the end, Steve.
Surgery and swelling often go hand in hand; if by any chance it looks like the link, I would be thinking you will have a whole plane to yourself....

Look forward to your holiday.

Alphie

Yorkshire Pudding said...


For what it's worf, I agree with Alphie.

e said...

I agree with Alpha and YP...you'll have a great time, and you're nieces will think you're cool!

Sharon said...

Those moths are beautiful! I've never seen anything like them. Your depiction of yourself made me laugh!

John Going Gently said...

Yswelling always looks worse on heads.....its shallow skin with no where to go!

Ms. Moon said...

I used to have a dress that was black with a red underlining. So beautiful. It was my performing marriages dress. That's what those beautiful moths reminded me of.
Okay. You and your head take care. I am sure you are fine. But bless your heart- no one wants to look like whatever that Star Trek character is. Watch it for bumps!

ellen abbott said...

insects are so diversely beautiful. I don't understand why they creep so many people out.

Anonymous said...

Those moths are beautiful. What a stunning sight! Hope all goes well with your forehead and the swelling goes down as expected. Then... on to sunny Florida!

Linda Sue said...

such gorgeous bugs! They alone shall inherit the earth or so it has been said, maybe not these lovely bugs but most certainly cockroaches. The colors of course are absolutely stunning in your photos- like three D- popping off of my monitor screen. I was always particularly drawn to Michael Dorn as Worf, extremely handsome man, who looks capable of saving the Federation all on his own! You are in good company!

Jennifer said...

That's such a pretty photo!

Enjoy the trip to Florida.

jenny_o said...

Lol on the Worf picture and the extra carry-on!!

Those moths are superb, and you captured them well.

Red said...

Not getting too bent out of shape over things is one way of helping the situation with swellings. Now I gotta ask you something personal. You must have a fantastic background in insects. You seem to be able to name anything.

37paddington said...

What beautiful wildflowers, such a delicate purple. And those butterflies are gorgeous.