Wednesday, May 28, 2025

Flowers and Medicine


Our dark pink peonies have begun to open their dense swirl of petals. Now we're just waiting to see if our "Bowl of Beauty" peonies bloom. The plant has at least two buds but it seems to be moving slowly. Last year it didn't bloom at all. We'll see what happens.

Also blooming now are...


...the sage...


...the brook thistles, with Nicole Nicotiana's gigantic leaves in the background...


...and the "Blood Sky" petunias. (Not their real name!)


Also, the avocado, which has been looking a bit straggly this spring, is sending up new leaves.

I'm scheduled for a colonoscopy tomorrow. Joy! (Sarcasm, obviously.) Yes, I had one about a year ago, but it was suggested to me then that because of my high calprotectin and family history of colon cancer I should do another one after waiting twelve months or so, just to make sure nothing was missed. Unfortunately, I think I've already screwed up the preparation -- I was apparently supposed to be eating bland food yesterday and I ate normally. So I have to call them this morning and see if I should postpone. The procedure is tomorrow afternoon and I don't start taking the "clean out" liquid until this evening, so maybe yesterday's diet won't make a huge amount of difference. We'll see what they say.

36 comments:

  1. The flowers are lovely. I think the clean out medicine will be enough.

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  2. I see that The Russians have been dropping paint from above on your "Blood Sky" petunias. Also, I hope that tomorrow's colonscopy goes smoothly - perhaps with the help of some gel!

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  3. Lovely flowers!

    Thinking of Pirate's colonoscopy preps and timing, you should be ok..but best check with them

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  4. I do love peonies. Big, blousy and beautiful.
    I hope that you get to sleep through your colonoscopy as I did. I think my doctor gave me a little too much happy juice!

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  5. The flowers are so beautiful. That peony is astounding. If you don’t normally have a problem getting cleaned out, I think you’ll be fine. SG has a terrible time and has never been successful even with double the effort. That would be no problem for me. Enjoy!

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  6. Your paeony is beautiful, glorious colour.
    Good luck for tomorrow.

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  7. The flowers are so beautiful. I think you will be okay with the colonoscopy prep. Though I am no expert, I have had tons of them.

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  8. The prep is the worst bit, so let's hope you can get it over with and get good results. I love peonies, and they grow well around here. I wish they bloomed longer.

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  9. My peonies are a bit behind -- they're on the shady side of the house. Hope you can get this done with. I did a new prep this last time -- pills. You get the same results (never fun) but it goes down a lot easier than that vile liquid! Good luck!

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  10. The color on the peony is fabulous.
    I agree that the clean out process starting today would be sufficient, but I'm not a doctor I just play one on blogs.

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  11. Those flowers are gorgeous, especially the peony and the petunias.
    Good luck with your colonoscopy prep, god, I hate those.

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  12. I didn't start eating bland food as early as recommended for my last colonoscopy because it was a sort of a last minute situation, taking the place of someone else who had canceled. And nah, no one said a thing. I believe the whole bland food issue is a relatively new development.

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    1. You could be right. I sure don't remember that instruction from my previous colonoscopies.

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  13. I just googled peonies zone 9. I knew they don't really grow here but was surprised to find that there is a tree peony that does grow here. Might just have to look into getting one.

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  14. I misread my prep earlier this year and thought it said no food after breakfast when it said I could eat bland foods after breakfast. I was a pretty hungry person by noon the following day but I did get superior prep in the doctor's notes afterwards. I fortunately got a ten year pass before the next one.

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    1. I think ten years is the norm if you have no risk factors.

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  15. Those blooms are so vibrant! Thanks for the photos.
    Good luck with the colonoscopy.

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  16. Here's hoping the butt camera does not find anything suspicious. You have a healthy lifestyle , my brother did not. He died from colon cancer and though he was family, doctor's are not concerned about my guts. It's all down to lifestyle, they reckon. Ewww, I do not envy you- the "clean out" liquid forced down into the works. That stuff is nasty.

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  17. That bloom in the first photo is a stunner. It looks like there is a lot of color in your garden right now.

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  18. The dreaded clean out! I suspect you'll get a pass on the bland food mis. Nice to just get it over with.
    Your peony is very beautiful. I have a few but not that color. It's on my list now.

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  19. Colonoscopy prep is so fiddly. I have to read the instructions over and over again and am always afraid I'll mess something up like eat a nut or a raw veggie. Hope it goes well for you! My petunias and geraniums are doing well and as suspected the begonias that I'm trying out (again) are not thriving.

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    1. I felt the same way! I had to keep checking the instructions for this or that little detail!

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  20. Gorgeous flowers and I love your name for the petunias. 😄 I hate the prep, but it'll all be over for you (again) soon.

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  21. Good luck on your colonoscopy.
    I have a coworker that just had one - She could eat - THE DAY BEFORE - I was like no way.... she sent me her prep instructions - they had a breakfast option & lunch option - like REAL food - I was baffled... but she did have her colonoscopy the next day ---- I was shocked.

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    1. I could also eat the day before, breakfast and lunch. It had to be from a list of approved foods, so for me it was cheese sandwich on white bread and then white pasta with cheese and a yogurt. I think if you have an afternoon/evening procedure the following day you don't need to stop eating as soon as you would for a morning procedure.

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  22. That peony is almost edible it’s glorious

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  23. Gorgeous blooms and good luck to you.

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  24. You lucky guy to get a colonoscopy. I hope everything is clear down there.

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  25. Wishing you the best with your colonoscopy tomorrow. Hopefully the prep still works out, and fingers crossed your peonies bloom beautifully to brighten your days ahead

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  26. Our peonies are still sulking, no blooms yet, but the "Fried Egg" one is pretty spectacular once it does.

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  27. I don't think it will matter, as long as you get the clean out right.

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  28. Hope all goes well! It's such a relief to get those things done and over :)

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  29. P. S. Your garden is gorgeous. Such colours, and so green too.

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  30. Thanks for your comments, everybody! The nurses said my clean-out would be fine regardless of my diet two days before the procedure. Makes you wonder why they put that bland diet stuff in the instructions, but whatever!

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