Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Leaf Shadows


My allergies are acting up something terrible. I didn't even realize I still had allergies, but Sunday night my nose was itching and running and I could barely breathe. I think walking through all that long grass on the Heath whipped my histamines into a frenzy. According to the Weather Channel, there's a "local pollen alert" because grass pollen levels are high right now.




I took some allergy medicine, but then I felt practically narcoleptic yesterday. Every time I sat down I slid into head-nodding catatonia. Hopefully my nose won't act up quite that much again, because I really want to avoid those pills.


I did get a few things done -- I read a graphic novel called "Hey, Kiddo" that I bought for the library last year, and it was excellent and definitely something I could recommend to students. Dave and I cleaned up the garden a bit, with some trimming and dead-heading. And I pricked out another tray of foxglove seedlings, so now I have 160! What the hell am I going to do with all these foxgloves? My co-workers (at least the ones with gardens) are going to be getting some presents!

That's assuming they all survive, which they may not.

And speaking of surviving, it's supposed to be 92º F today, and a shocking 99º F on Thursday -- so I can't boast about moderate temperatures anymore. We're catching the edge of that European heatwave that's been sweeping the continent. On Friday we're supposed to be back in the 70s, though.



Dave and I started watching "Big Little Lies" last night -- we're only two episodes in but we love it so far!

I took these photos of leaf shadows on our living room wall a couple of weeks ago -- the wind was blowing and the light kept shifting, and I found the effect quite mesmerizing.

14 comments:

e said...

Interesting patterns among your leaf shadows...Do you ever watch British TV or do you just do Netflix? Catherine Ryan Hyde is a particularly prolific author for YA readers. You might want to check her out. Sorry about your heat wave.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

If you have excess foxgloves, you could find a suitable location on Hampstead Heath and plant them there.

Nan said...

Try Kestin (Ebastin,I think is the generic name) if you are sensitive to antihistamines. It does not make you sleepy and while it does not totally take away the allergy effects for me, I prefer a little allergy to comatose. You can get it over the counter in some countries, by prescription in others. I got it the first time in a country where it is on prescription but I was such a mess they let me buy the first pack to try it out!

gz said...

Beautiful shadows

Its worth finding an anti-histamine that doesn't make you drowsy

Ms. Moon said...

Those pictures remind me of an old black and white horror film when the camera pans from the vampire leaning over the beautiful semi-naked woman to the shadows cast on the wall by the candlelight.
I agree with everyone here- there are antihistamines that don't knock you out.
I can't believe it's going to get up to 99 degrees. That's terrible, Steve! Meanwhile, we're having a bit of a cooler moment. We're obviously living in Bizarro World. I don't like it.

ellen abbott said...

I had horrible allergies as a kid. fortunately I outgrew most of them by the time I was 20 or so.

your leaf shadow pictures are pretty cool as shapes emerge and then disappear.

Red said...

Hey , you're really getting artsy with these shots. it's always good to try something different.

Sharon said...

My allergies have also been acting up but, here I think it's dust more than anything else. 99 degrees in London sounds pretty unbearable. Thank goodness it will only be for a couple of days.
I woke up to the news that Boris Johnson was elected Prime Minister. The world really has gone crazy.

Anonymous said...

Sorry to hear about your allergies. Hope that you don't have another flare up. Absolutely love those shadows on the wall there. Beautiful.

Linda Sue said...

number four is my fave! Very cool. Sorry about allergies- Usually a claritin takes care of my seasonal vertigo due to what ever is out there! I hope you find the right anti- histamine. Agreeing with Sharon- Johnson is a limp johnson, a mad trumpster- still, I think that you are better off living there than here- fewer guns and better cakes.

jenny_o said...

As I was reading and scrolling through the post I was just starting to wonder if the pictures weren't loading properly and if our computer was having issues! lol I should have paid more attention to the title, something I normally do. They are very cool shots - they remind me of impressionist paintings.

I hope you can find something non-drowsy to treat your allergies. It's especially hard to be blowing and sneezing and dripping in the hot weather ... which seems imminent.

Take care of yourself.

jenny_o said...

And a belated Happy Anniversary to you and Dave - may you have many more years of happiness :)

Catalyst said...

If one is having an allergic reaction to pollen, I would think working in the garden is one of the worst things that person could do. Just sayin'.

Mary said...

Wonder if a nasal spray (i.e. flonase in US) might help your allergies without knocking you out. Best of luck finding a solution...and not just to the allergies. Heat in London can be so unbearable. When I was there during a May heatwave some years ago, I just kept stopping in one Richoux tea shop after another--not because I was thirsty--simply because they had air conditioning.