Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Echinacea


Echinaceas were some of the first plants Dave bought after we moved to this flat in 2014. We got three of them, I think, and we put them in a flower bed. Two were rapidly and completely devoured by slugs. We transplanted the third straggler to a pot, where we could better protect it, and it grew modestly -- until this year, when it suddenly came into its own, bushing out and growing several feet high. That's it above, with its very first flower, basking in the sunshine on our side patio. Several other blooms are on the way, too. Sometimes success takes a while!

You can see our friend the hoverfly on one of the petals. Well, maybe not the same one, but you never know.

Speaking of insects, this morning I woke up, came out to the living room and heard the unmistakable whine of a mosquito! Sure enough, there was one on the wall over my head. I never see mosquitos in England, so this was a surprise. It's as if Florida is coming to meet me!

I'm due to take off at 11 a.m. I'm half-packed -- everything is all together in a pile, and now I just have to actually put it in the bag, and then I'll be out of here. It won't be too hard. I'm a pretty light traveler.

Oh, and by the way, my stitches came out with no complications yesterday. And we did hear some firecrackers around the neighborhood last night. The rebellious colonists were restless, even here in the motherland! I didn't see any bright bursts, but there was a lot of popping and banging. Olga isn't too fazed by those sorts of sounds -- being a British dog, she's inured to the similar excitement of Bonfire Night in November -- but she was curious. She went out to the back garden and sat on the grass, staring into the noisy darkness. You could almost see the question mark above her head.

13 comments:

Shooting Parrots said...

It amazes me that we Brits don't celebrate the 4th July as we seem to have adopted just about every other holiday from other cultures!

Glad to hear that you are healing well and have a great time in Florida.

Ms. Moon said...

Hurray for stitches being out! And for bulldogs who watch the fireworks peacefully in the night. And for gardens which take patience and hope and tending and care.

ellen abbott said...

I have purple cone flower, it's common name, all over the front and now volunteers are popping up in the gardens in back. but they are all bloomed out now and I need to cut back the dead heads.

37paddington said...

Glad to hear about the stitches. Now you can go and enjoy your Florida vacation with no concerns! Traveling mercies, my friend.

Red said...

I hate slugs. we have small slugs here and they do much damage.

Sharon said...

Safe travels today! I'm guessing you are in the air already as I write this. I'm glad the stitches have been taken care of.

jenny_o said...

Maybe all the heat you had there made that echinacea take its growth spurt. We have one narrow garden along the garage wall that gets variable light. The plants at one end are always shorter than at the other!

Yay for being back to your non-Worf self! Have a good trip.

A Cuban In London said...

Have a safe journey! :-)

Yes, there are mosquitoes. :-) I very rarely get bitten but this time around they have gone for me instead of my wife.

Anonymous said...

Have a safe and wonderful journey.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

By now you will be in Florida so I hope it was a nice flight. Is it hot enough for you over there?

The Bug said...

I love coneflowers - so pretty. Hope your flight was uneventful!

Jennifer said...

I love echinacea flowers! So pretty!

You'd better prepare yourself for the mosquitoes (and the heat!) my friend! Florida in July is no joke.

Elizabeth said...

I hope your trip is an easy one!