While I was away, our garden has been growing by leaps and bounds. I'm amazed how much bigger everything is. I was only gone a week, but at this time of year that's time enough for some big changes.
The camassia lilies are blooming (above). They're always one of my favorites.
The blue forget-me-nots are also at their peak, in this case surrounding both the foxgloves I grew from seed (center left and at right) and a couple of volunteer teasels (foreground left and center). The foxgloves are all noticeably taller and are forming flower stalks, so next month we should be seeing lots of flowers.
One of the bleeding hearts (Dicentra) has come up and is also blooming, but the other must have died. It barely came up last year. It's funny how from year to year, plants will come and go on their own mysterious schedule. I wouldn't say this one is blooming very robustly.
The bluebells are flowering in a big way, here backed by the leaves of the day lilies.
This was one of our projects for the day yesterday. The Russians gave us a couple of gigantic plastic pots that they had been using on their terrace, and we repotted Barb the banana. (You may remember Barb blew over in Storm Eunice and her pot was broken.) The new pot is ugly as sin but at least it's whole and we can do away with its duct-taped predecessor (which you can see at right).
How was I doing this having had no sleep for 24 hours? I have no idea. Yesterday was a struggle -- particularly yesterday evening -- but I made it through. I always try to combat jet lag by getting back on schedule right away and not taking naps. I just tried to stay busy.
Our garden assistant was busy too, as you can see. Hard at work.
Oh, and I took all the dahlias out of the shed -- you can see them there behind Olga in pots. I think it's still just a bit early for them to be sprouting, and indeed I don't see any sprouts yet, but let's see if we can get them kick-started.
Back to work today. I planned my Florida trip so that I'd have a day to recover and get organized around the house, and I was under the illusion for much of yesterday that I'd have today off too -- until Dave reminded me that it was in fact already Monday and I'd be working the next day. Yesterday was my recovery day. Overnight flights can be confusing!
Jet lag is much easier to manage when you don’t have to worry about getting back to work. I used to do it the way you did, getting quickly back on schedule. Now, I nap when I want. Hope work goes well today. The garden is looking beautifully springlike. Hallelujah.
ReplyDeleteEven if I'm not working I want to get back on schedule ASAP. I hate sitting up at night.
DeleteGood to have you safely home....was Olga pleased to see you? My garden is full of forget-me-nots at the moment and there are quite a lot of foxgloves coming up. I had a dahlia in the ground last year and no sign of it coming through, but if yours aren't showing yet, perhaps there is hope!
ReplyDeleteYes, Olga was very excited to have me back! I think the dahlias will show up -- given them another couple of weeks.
DeleteI like that pot that you call ugly. At least it has a ring of pattern around it.
ReplyDeleteIt's just so GRAY.
DeleteYou need to check that the pot from the Russians upstairs has not been bugged. Besides, are you sure you should be trading with Russians as they continue to batter Ukraine? I blame the jetlag.
ReplyDeleteThe Russian people aren't the problem, it's Puny Putin and his gang of not-so-merry-men
DeleteYeah, I don't blame the neighbors. I'm pretty sure they're not involved with this war. LOL
DeleteYour garden is amazing this early My home territory Yorkshire dales are still having snow and wind. Gale force lambing.
ReplyDeleteThat trip went fast. I hope you can keep going today.
Yeesh. I can't imagine snow at this time of year.
DeleteIt seems like you are pleased to be home and among your own things. You are right about the cure for jetlag and I would add have a decent drink at normal time before you go to bed.
ReplyDeleteA decent drink always helps!
DeleteWe usually schedule two days of recovery from jet lag but we are crossing 12 time zones and not 5 or 6. Like you, I plan on suffering by staying awake on day one back by keeping busy. My MIL has no willpower though and her jet lag recovery usually takes weeks.
ReplyDeleteTwelve time zones is a nightmare! I've done that flying to Asia and it isn't easy.
DeleteWhat A Gorgeous Spring There Brother Man - But Olga Girl Chilling Captures The Real Mood - All The Best This Week - Stay Strong And Pound Those Vitamins
ReplyDeleteCheers
The vitamins are happening!
DeleteJust beautiful, Steve! I hope that work isn't too wearying today.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't too bad. As I type this (two days after your comment) I'm pretty much recovered, I think.
DeleteHoly cow. You flew there and visited and flew back and went to work after only one day???? I don't know if I could have done it!
ReplyDeleteI considered going back the same day, but that's never easy. I used to do that flying the red-eye from LA to New York and then I'd be wiped out all day.
DeleteHaving your own garden in the city is really something special. I'm sure the industrious Olga agrees.
ReplyDeleteIndustriously sleeping! LOL
DeleteLots blooming already in your garden! I have my daffodils and grape hyacinths blooming but we woke up to snow yesterday so they were looking a bit sad. Thank goodness the sun will be out today so that should help.
ReplyDeleteYou will be tired all week I guess but I am tired too and I didn't even go anywhere! Glad you had a nice trip and are home safely!
Fortunately daffodils and grape hyacinths are pretty durable. They're made to deal with wintry conditions!
DeleteYour garden is look fantastic. I LOVE that flower in the first photo. It's such a pretty color and so delicate looking. Good idea keeping busy so you could get your sleep pattern back to normal.
ReplyDeleteI love the camassias too. We have four of them, and three are blooming this year.
DeleteOh that jet lag! One of the great necessary experiences of travel.
ReplyDeleteIt is what it is.
DeleteVery blue in your garden right now. Funny how that goes. Still very pink and red in mine with the evening primrose, roses, poppies, and amaryllis.
ReplyDeleteIt's true -- we do have a lot of blue. The forget-me-nots and the alkanet (borage) are dominant plants at this time of year.
DeleteYour Garden is Magnificent! We're going thru a prolonged Drought here in the Desert so keeping things green or even alive is gonna be a particular challenge this Spring and Summer. I've let a resilient yet pesky Ground Cover take over our Pasture/Acreage since it stay Green, but it's Bur Clover, so, the Burs are nasty, but it's a good Grazing Plant for Mini Farms and seeds from other Farms around us I suppose... we didn't have much of it last year, but during drought it took over.
ReplyDeleteI don't know that plant, but I guess having a little green in the desert is a good thing!
DeleteGetting back on your regular schedule is the best way to combat jet lag, but you'll still be very tired for a while. Coming back from Korea was the worst for me; it's a 17-hour time difference so I had to be doing constant math about what I was supposed to be doing in my normal time zone. Such beautiful flowers!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I remember that from when we went to China and Singapore. It's a big adjustment!
DeleteI agree on going back to the normal schedule right away but there are hours during the day you just sort of have to 'zombie' through don't you? They say it takes about a day for each hour-difference for your body to get back to 'normal'.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it takes me that long, but maybe I'm flattering myself. :)
DeleteSpring sprung while you were gone. Quite the welcome home the garden gave you.
ReplyDeleteIt really did! I'm surprised how much it's progressed.
DeleteYour garden is lush! You could spray paint the Russian flower pot, blue and yellow would be a good choice of color. It's a nice big one!
ReplyDeleteLOL -- can you imagine? I suspect our Russian neighbors are just as horrified by this war as the rest of us.
DeleteThis is that time of year when things can literally change overnight. It seems like the trees go from buds to full leaf in the blink of an eye. Olga looks so content... happy to have her family back together again. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's true -- it all happens so quickly!
DeleteOlga looks very happy in her garden with the dog bed and you home.
ReplyDeleteShe seems very relieved that we're all back together again.
DeleteI love that camassia lily! So pretty! I also love how green everything is. I hope work wasn't too crazy & that your body figures out the right schedule very quickly!
ReplyDeleteThe camassias are among my favorites, too!
DeleteJet lag is a bear. I'm not sure which direction is worse. But I hope work wasn't too much the worse for wear because of it. Certainly your garden seems to have benefitted! Home sweet home.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure which was is worse, either. Many people tell me they have more trouble west to east, but I think I may be the opposite!
DeleteAh, yes - Olga-type work. That's the kind I do, too :)
ReplyDeleteGood thing you had Dave to tell you what day it is, otherwise you might have missed going back to work!
Clearly, she's an executive. She's doing all the work with her brain. I can't believe I was so confused about the date! LOL
DeleteOlga is obviously compensating for your jet lag, therefore allowing you to garden to your heart's content.
ReplyDelete