Surprises Good and Bad

Another hoverfly, this one picking through the pollen on one of our dahlia blossoms. It was very intent on its task and didn't move at all even when I came in close for a picture.

More garden projects yesterday. I've started moving my datura (aka jimsonweed) seedlings to their own pots. I started two seedlings in each compartment of a seed tray -- never dreaming that both would germinate -- and for some reason I have it in my mind that daturas don't like to be disturbed. So in some cases I'm transplanting both seedlings to a single pot.

And yes, they are close together. But I'm thinking if they have that whole pot to occupy with their roots they should be fine and will probably just lean away from each other as they grow. Time will tell!

I repotted five of them, which leaves me with seven or eight more to deal with. Datura overload!

As I was out in the garden working on this project, Mrs. Kravitz called to me from her balcony. I thought she was going to take me to task over something in the garden, but to my complete surprise, she invited me and Dave over for a glass of wine. We were bowled over and of course we said yes. We sat beneath her pergola and talked gardening as the dogs romped. Could it be that I have been wrongly complaining about Mrs. K for all these years? Is the tide turning in our neighborly relations?

Funny thing -- Olga ran immediately to the back corner of her garden and began barking. She had her nose in a narrow space beside Mrs. K's summer house. (Yes, she has a summer house.) I peered back there and saw a black Kong toy! I retrieved it and gave it to Olga, which made her day. Mrs. K didn't even know what it was, so I'm certain it was Olga's to begin with -- one of those Kongs that mysteriously disappeared overnight from our garden, probably carried away by foxes. I'm sure it's been missing for years but now Olga has it back.

I'm posting this picture just for blogger Andrew because I know he loves it when I talk about our teasels. But yes! Look! They're beginning to bloom! Doesn't it look like a hippie in a headband? Peter Fonda, maybe?

This one is purple, so it's one of the wild-type teasels I brought as a seed from Wormwood Scrubs. We also have giant teasels that are much bigger, but they bloom white and aren't flowering yet.

Finally, we had our friend Warren over last night for dinner. Dave cooked (of course) and we dined al fresco in the garden. Dave served a charcuterie plate followed by braised pork belly and a poached-pear dessrt. I'm not such a fan of pork belly but everything was good.

And then, a complete surprise -- I was sick as a dog last night. I got very little sleep and was up and down between about midnight and 4 a.m. It seems like food poisoning but Dave ate the exact same things I did and he was fine. (No word from Warren yet!) So we're a bit mystified.

Of course my mind immediately went to Mrs. K but that's just mean. (And she only served Doritos, cheese and olives, and again, Dave ate pretty much the same things I did there.)

We're supposed to go to a christening for a co-worker's baby tomorrow in Norfolk but I'm going to see how I feel. I'm not sure I'm past this thing yet and I sure don't want to transport Norovirus or something like that. I was scheduled to see the dentist again today for a cleaning but I'll reschedule. You just never know what curve balls life will throw, do you?