As the daytime temperatures begin to soar in August (still officially Winter), the Red Cardinal Garden of Neglect is beginning to struggle.
There has been very little rain this year, and while the plants are dormant in Winter, surges of temperatures up to 29-30C are stressing the plants.
We have a sprinkler system, but water is expensive and we are careful with its usage.
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But there are clearly far fewer blooms this year.
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Sadly, our beautiful King Orchid has produced only four fronds this year, after a stunning twelve in 2022. It has to be the dry weather.
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A second brave daffodil has appeared. Well done little flower. |
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Lately I have been busy having Diagnostic Imaging for my left knee, spine and right hip, after months of nagging pain, coming and going.
An ultrasound of the hip shows gross tendinopathy, which has been the cause of discomfort. Ex-rays, and a CT scan were also done. I have been using a warm wheat bag for months for flare-ups. Nothing unusual for my age was found in the knee, which continues to make trouble when descending stairs. My next referral is to a physiotherapist for exercise physiology.
I have copies of the reports, which, due to my complete lack of scientific knowledge, are very long and daunting. The word 'degenerative' appears quite a few times, but the doctor seems unconcerned.
One of the joys of old age is trying to take care of one's health...
While trying to keep up with husband, children, grandchildren, community interests, and everything else!
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Time flies, and I rather like browsing the toy shops....
Have a lovely week
XXXX
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Patricia, I'm sorry you've been having pain lately in your knee, spine, and hip. I do hope you get the proper care and treatment for it and feel better soon. The yellow daffodils are always so cheerful to me. Can't believe little Aussie is almost 14!.... he's not that little anymore haha. And your twin grandkids are already 3..... oh my, they do grow fast. That last bunch of flowers are so pretty, and my favorite color, by the way.
ReplyDeleteTake care, Patricia, and I hope you get all the answers you need so you can feel better soon. : )
~Sheri
Thank you Sheri. Little ones grow up so fast. I remember your little girls were babies not so long ago. Yes, those little purple Violas are cute, and I like their purple colour too. Hopefully good outcomes with my therapists this week.
DeleteDearest Patricia,
ReplyDeleteStrange as dry weather should give you 'less' problems with your aching knee, spine and hip...
Yes, aging is not fun at times!
What a wonderful thing to have your grandchild twins being born on their Dad's Birthday!!!
Enjoy the beauty that remains and without a dug well for watering the plants, it will be tough.
Hugs,
Mariette
Patricia, we too had a very deep well: https://mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com/2020/10/we-had-87-m-deep-well-dug-for-watering.html
DeleteA funeral this weekend caused a great sense of loss and pain to the family and friends of a special man. Well shaped, colourful flowers lend some beauty in a difficult situation, especially your daffodils and orchids.
ReplyDeleteSpring flowers are beautiful wherever we are. I found two new orchids about to bloom today - so lovely.
DeleteYou might not have as many flowers as usual but they are all lovely! That orchid! I would marvel every minute over it! I do hope your health problems improve or else you are given advice or meds to help cope with it. Enjoy your family birthday times! x
ReplyDeleteThank you Kay. I do marvel over the orchids, as they only bloom a few weeks each Springtime. We had fun yesterday in a toy shop, buying for two energetic little boys :)
DeleteLove your flowers Trish! Still looking lovely. But sorry to hear about heat and drought. It is a problem the world over it seems lately. I pray it rains soon and cools off.
ReplyDeleteAnd I pray your exercise physiotherapy goes well too. This getting older stuff isn't all it's cracked up to be, is it? Lol We may gain wisdom, but with it comes aches and pains too. I have degenerative arthritis in my back and a herniation in a disc in my spine. I'm officially shorter now! lol And general arthritis kind of all over. I try to myself feeling those aches and pains were well earned and aren't going to keep me down! 😉 💪 Blessings. xoxo
Thank you Carrie. The flowers in the Spring are my faves. Yes, the world over is over-heated and we are being told to prepare for Summer bush fires. I had to look up herniation in a disc. I don't have that, but they say I have a 'break' in my spine!! Also am officially shorter as well, (twins we are). Like you, general arthritis all over, but treating it with ignore. Lately, been a bit difficult to do my hand stitching. Exercise is the key, I hope. Blessings back to you. xoxo
DeleteAh ha! Our Father's Day is in June and Labor Day is this weekend here in the USA. You folks Down Under and us Upper Over!! Haha. Have a good one and feel better. Mary in Georgia {{hugs}}
ReplyDeleteAh yes, Labor Day, the end of Summer! We had to do Father's Day so we can join in with the holiday. Thanks for popping by from beautiful Georgia.
DeleteOh, Trish, I'm sorry to hear of your aches and pains. My 93 year mom has severe arthritis which a couple of years ago gave her much pain. The fiare ups of pain seems to have been greatly reduced by limiting the her intake of sugar. Someone was baking her a batch of brownies every week and when this stopped, it reduced inflammation, which eased up the pain. So I wonder if the same remedy might help you, Trish? Along with therapy. My mom still gets to have a bit of dark chocolate, ice cream in the summer and cake on a birthdays, cookies at Christmas, candy on Halloween — so it's just reducing, and not eliminating the sweets.
ReplyDeleteAs usual, you've posted beauties from your garden!
Thank you Debra. This is interesting, as I do find I feel much better when I cut out sugar, although I had not noticed it regarding arthritis. In fact I decided last week to lose a few pounds and am on a sugarless diet for a little while. As I have bits of arthritis in other parts of my body, like my fingers, I will be monitoring myself as it might improve. I saw the physio therapist this morning, and it seems I have a couple of injuries causing pain in the knee and the tendons in my right buttock. I have an exercise programme to commence so hope for a bit of improvement. My exercising has been a bit neglected over the past two years since the little twinnies came to town! Like you mother, I love a bit of dark chocolate, so will include that treat now and then. Glad you like our Spring blooms.
DeleteKeep us posted, Trish. Perhaps our tips can help others. Sometimes I get sciatica and get relief from a massuage with heat pillow, that are very inexpenisve to buy and worth every penny!
DeleteTrish, Anonymous above this comment is me. After Google Plus disappeared I have to use a Chrome, not Safari brownser to comment which I forgot!
DeleteOh Trish, I'm a bit late here, and am so sorry to hear of your aches and pains. That's horrid and worse if you don't have an easy cure in sight. I do hope the physio improves the situation. Sad too that you have such dry weather and that your plants are struggling. I shall keep everything crossed that the rain comes soon. Have a happy time with all the family birthdays and wishing you a lovely spring when it comes!
ReplyDeleteDear Val, I am working on my exercises and some improvement can be felt. We had a really good Father's Day and look forward to the twins birthday party this week. Happy times. And we had a storm last night - lots of noise and lightning, and even a bit of rain :)
DeleteI hope you feel better soon, dear Trish, and that they find a way to help you. We've not had rain for months, it is so dusty and brown, can't wait for winter. Wishing you happy times.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
Oh dear, it is dry there too. Our beautiful planet is not doing so well these days. We had a very loud storm, with lightning and thunder, but only a small amount of rain. Hope for improvement there! Enjoy the Autumn as we embrace Spring. xo
DeleteI've eliminated sugar completely since knee surgery brought arthritis in that knee to the fore. If I have no sugar at all I have little or no discomfort in the Stupid Knee. Even a little sugar and the soreness returns. I'm finding it easy to decline foods (and to read labels very carefully) when I know the Stupid Knee will hurt tomorrow if I make a "mistake".
ReplyDeleteYou are very strong with the sugar! I know eliminating it always brings improvements to many things, including my eyes! However, it is a struggle for me - but it is definitely the aim of the situation. After my mastectomy I stayed off sugar for a couple of years! I find tiredness makes my resolutions weak... I hereby call my left knee Stupid Knee too :)
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