Thursday, August 5, 2021

Noisy Wednesday


I had a couple of tasks I wanted to achieve during our summer break. The screen of my iPhone is cracked, and I thought I'd get it replaced. I need to get another eye exam and possibly get some new glasses. And I need to get my teeth cleaned, because I haven't been to a dentist since before Covid.

Well, the eye exam is going to happen Saturday. I was home on Tuesday in the late afternoon when the lens popped out of my glasses, and though I tried to pop it in again, I just couldn't get it to fit. So I raced down to the optician, who not only fixed the lens but readjusted my glasses. They were badly askew -- I'd probably sat on them multiple times without really noticing -- and now they feel much better.

He asked me how long it had been since my last eye exam. About five years, I told him.

A man browsing a rack of eyeglasses nearby laughed. "And I thought I was bad!" he said.

So, shamed into it by a perfect stranger, I made an appointment for an eye checkup.

I decided to just let the iPhone slide. I have one of those plastic protectors over the screen, so even though it's cracked, it's basically intact and it works fine. I can live with it.

So that just leaves the dentist, and my goal is to get that appointment settled today.

There's a lot happening in the garden. The butterfly bushes are attracting all sorts of critters -- I saw a peacock butterfly yesterday as well as this red admiral (top photo).


And our agapanthus, also known by the much more poetic names African lily or Lily-of-the-Nile, is blooming away in its sunny position on the side patio. You can also see that the jimsonweed, or Datura, in the foreground is fading, I assume because it's setting seed. (It's also been quite cool lately, and jimsonweed likes heat.) It bloomed several times, so I consider it a successful experiment. I'm hoping to save the seed and plant it next year.


I'd like to say it was a lovely and peaceful day, but in all honesty, it was noisy as hell. I sat out on the bench trying to read, but there's construction going on in one of the apartments behind us, and they were using some kind of saw that just NEVER STOPPED. And then, an hour or so later, the gardeners came next door and were running hedge trimmers and leaf blowers. I thought I was going to jump out of my skin.

I made a video so you could share my experience. You're welcome.

48 comments:

Elizabeth said...

Yikes.

Moving with Mitchell said...

Make it stop! Make it stop!!! So much for your idyllic garden space in the heart of the city. However, I understand the problem. There seems to always be some kind of equipment roaring here. Weekends tend to be OK, but then we hear the screeching kids on the beach and at the pool. Anyway, your garden always makes me happy (today I simply turned off the sound).

Yorkshire Pudding said...

What can be better than sitting peacefully in one's garden with a good book and a mug of coffee listening to the tweeting of birds and the fluttering of butterfly wings?

jenny_o said...

That first machine in the video sounds like a sander to me which doesn't make a particle of difference as to how annoying it is! The second machine is truly irritating. You need to break out the lawn mower in retaliation :D

I'm jealous of your butterfly bush. We had one for three years - the first year was great, the second, less so; the third - kaput. I have no idea why but I don't even see them in anyone else's gardens so maybe it's something about our soil or our weather. Also, it was expensive to begin with! My understanding from the British blogs I read is that they grow like weeds there.

Sabine said...

Yes, here too. Builders putting ap scaffolding while shouting at each other, city workers cutting verges and so many amazing and noisy garden tools . . .

I love the buddleia with the butterfly, that is a summer image from my childhood.

Mary said...

Sympathize with you on the noise. We have a neighbor who has his own bobcat (large construction vehicle--not the animal) and others who have all the usual paraphernalia--riding and push mowers, leaf blowers, edge trimmers, chain saws,etc.. Almost impossible to find a time of day when one or more aren't running something. The bobcat owner is in a class by himself (aka major PIA) as he likes to ride it around after 10 pm--lights on. Sigh. Noise pollution of the highest order. So much for living out in the country. Hope you find some peace and quiet...and soon.

Anonymous said...

Jimsonweed is Datura? Angles Trumpet? Maybe I have said this before and forgotten.

Here we call Agapanthus, Aggies. How stereotypical Australian.

I too need to see a dentist and an optician. It has been a while.

You live in a nice area in one of the most important and busy cities in the world and expect peace in your garden? What was the decibel reading on your phone app?

ellen abbott said...

I don't think that first noise is a saw, sounded more like a sander, but yeah, annoying.

I tried growing buddleia when I lived in the city but it died. not enough sun I think. maybe I'll try one out here. your agapanthus, nile lilies, are a much darker blue than mine.

ellen abbott said...

and it was five years between my eye exams too.

Ms. Moon said...

"Agapanthus" is one of my favorite words. I'm a little sorry I didn't name a daughter that.
But not too sorry. I do like the word a lot though.
That could have been a tile saw. Or, as Ellen said- a sander.
They were working on the railroad line here yesterday, trimming away branches and bushes beside it and it was horribly noisy. So annoying.
Good for you for getting your appointments all set up. You know how hard that is for me.

Bob said...

We live on a good-sized piece of property [it's just over an acre] and yet our neighbor behind us, who's a really nice guy, loves his woodworking and so the sounds in your video sound like my backyard on an early Saturday morning.

Edna B said...

I imagine you and Olga spent a good deal of time indoors while the noise was happening. Hopefully, all the projects will be completed soon and the noises will stop. You have a super day, hugs, Edna B.

The Bug said...

I should probably have an eye exam soon - I think it's been two years? (I just tried to check my phone - it's apparently been so long that there aren't any appointments on there. Hmmm.)

37paddington said...

That construction noise sounds like my house right now. They are repointing the bricks outside and not one, but two neighbors are also renovating their spaces. My daughter, who's with us this week, woke up on Monday morning and said, Holy hell, how do you live with this?! It was a particularly noisy day. All that to say, you have my sympathies.

Anonymous said...

I didn't watch/listen to the video. I can't stand the noise of machinery, saws, drills, or anything else. Ugh.
You remind me that I need to to make an appointment to see my eye doc and the dentist. I wonder why I've been putting that off for as long as I have...mmm? LOL.

Red said...

I went to the dentist on Tues. as I hadn't been since long before covid.

Kelly said...

All that racket would drive me crazy! (short trip, my spouse would say) When that leaf blower started up, even my dog lifted his head and gave me the stink eye!

Ellen D. said...

Good to get all of those appointments in before you are back to school! Summer is zooming by and you will be starting back before you know it!!
It is often noisy in my neighborhood too. The worst are the noisy leaf blowers! Can't stand them!

Allison said...

That IS noisy. Right now our neighbor has people in his yard with a blower, but it will be short lived. The people down the street are having a pool put in, and that has been a source of noise all summer. The new house finished, so at least no one is out playing head banger music at 6:30 in the morning while framing. Nights are quiet, however.

Linda Sue said...

I have two pair of sound cancelling ear hones at the ready, Dexter found them in the bushes for me when they were left behind by workers,They have saved my sanity what little there is of that. Leaf blowers are the worst, construction is second worse. Your peaceful little garden is shuddering, see the frowns on the plants?

e said...

Wow, worse than my place and perpetual traffic...ao sorry. Love the garden though.

gz said...

Well done for starting to get all your checks up to date!
I love buddleia.. hardy, good for insects, good perfume..what's not to like?!
Unlike Agapanthus..one of the NZ Dirty Dozen...although despite being supposed to be got rid of, it is pernicious!!

John Going Gently said...

I love your agapanthus mine hasn’t flowered as yet

Janie Junebug said...

Lovely noise (not). Thanks for sharing.

Love,
Janie

Steve Reed said...

That's what I said! (Well, that and a lot of other things.)

Steve Reed said...

When I made this video I wondered how Moose and Dudo would react to it! LOL! I guess we all have our noise issues.

Steve Reed said...

Gritting one's teeth and clenching one's fists...

Steve Reed said...

It could very well be a sander. I do not know my power tools! Buddleia are indeed weeds here -- in fact they're considered invasive in some areas, particularly along the railroads. We have one that grew up on its own in our garden.

Steve Reed said...

I guess everyone deals with noise of one kind or another. It's nice to know I'm not the only one!

Steve Reed said...

OK, riding around on power equipment after 10 p.m. is NOT OK. That's pretty extreme! Is there anything you can do to try to get him to stop?

Steve Reed said...

Yes, jimsonweed is a type of Datura. Datura stramonium, to be specific. I didn't take a decibel reading, but perhaps I should!

Steve Reed said...

A sander sounds likely, especially since it just kept going and going. Buddleia does like a lot of sun! And I'm glad I'm not the only one to wait five years between eye exams. It didn't seem THAT extreme to me.

Steve Reed said...

"Agapanthus" sounds like a Greek god, or goddess. There's also Acanthus, and I get the two confused all the time. I guess all of us deal with noise around our homesteads, don't we?!

Steve Reed said...

I'm glad I'm not the only one who's dealing with these kinds of issues!

Steve Reed said...

Actually, we sat outside despite the noise. If I went inside because of noise I'd spend way too much time inside!

Steve Reed said...

I just figured I'd go when I noticed a need, and I have been noticing that lately.

Steve Reed said...

Urban life! I don't know why I expect any different, really, living in the middle of London. I think I was more willing to overlook the noise in New York because I only had an apartment and there wasn't an illusion of tranquil outdoor space! (Although our building had a back garden and it was pretty nice.)

Steve Reed said...

I don't blame you. I wouldn't watch it either. LOL

Steve Reed said...

Hope the visit went OK! I'll be glad to get it done.

Steve Reed said...

Leaf blowers are especially bad. There's something about that noise frequency that is intensely annoying.

Steve Reed said...

Why don't people use rakes any more?!

Steve Reed said...

Seems like there wouldn't be a whole lot to blow in Arizona -- not a lot of deciduous trees!

Steve Reed said...

Dave bought some sound-cancelling headphones too. I guess maybe I should think about getting some.

Steve Reed said...

Well, it's city life, I suppose!

Steve Reed said...

I agree about buddleia. When it sprouts here I usually try to let it grow. I didn't realize Agapanthus could be a problem!

Steve Reed said...

We're probably slightly warmer and brighter here, and it's on the sunniest side of the house.

Steve Reed said...

I knew your day would not be complete without it! LOL

The Padre said...

So True - Excellent Butterfly Shot - The World Is Alive And Loud

Cheers