Saturday 18 March 2017

How things change.

After being housebound for a number of days I ventured out the front to the mailbox midweek and thought I had stepped out into the African jungle. I knew we had had a few storms and possibly a few inches of rain but I didn't realise how quickly the garden would change after the downpours.





Many of the bromeliads were suddenly in flower and most of them were red.


 They really brightened up the garden with their splashes of colour everywhere. We have a LOT of bromeliads as the CEO collects them. It is well worth waiting for them to flower although some of them have really suffered in the heat.



I have never seen this huge bromeliad flower before and thought it might open up but the CEO says 'That's it'.

 

 Still it is quite stunning anyway.



 Unfortunately with the rain comes the weeds although I know nettle isn't a weed but a herb but it is going to seed and that spells trouble as I haven't been well enough to get it under control. When I feel up to it I will pull out as much as I can and dry it as well as infuse some in olive oil for soap making. I will make some more nettle soap and add spirulina next time for more colour. I just need some energy and be able to find my really thick gloves.



There must also be about six pecan nut trees growing which need to be pulled out ASAP. One tree out the front is more than enough. The cockatoos eat most of the nuts anyway but it does provide shade for some of the bromeliads on the really hot days.



For those who are interested in seeing how the dragonfruit is going....this photo was taken two weeks ago around the 4th March.....




...and today on the 18th March it is filling out more and I noticed a big change since I looked at it last at the beginning of the week. No wonder they are so expensive to buy as they take forever to grow. 

Unfortunately I will miss my sister's 80th birthday lunch tomorrow which several family members are driving up the Range to attend. I will drive to the restaurant to say hello as one of my nieces is visiting from Canada and I haven't seen her for a few years. I will then go home as I am not up to socialising too much at the moment. 

Also, I couldn't take this face to a restaurant as it looks like I have something contagious but, looking on the bright side, I can now see out of my eye. If you look closely at the middle of my nose you will see a very fine incision line across it which is healing beautifully after the eight or so stitches were taken out. That is what the doctor was worried would get infected so why the dreadful rash or whatever it is on the rest of the left side of my face has broken out is a mystery to everyone. The results will be back on Monday though and we should know. I will just be glad when it is all over and I can get back to normal. I don't like being housebound :-) Also I had to miss our Simple Living Toowoomba felting workshop today and I just noticed that Racheal has already written up a blog post March Felting Class.

If you live locally and want to buy fresh farm gate produce , Racheal, Rick and their six children, have their Birdsong Market Garden up and running and I am sure would be only too pleased to hear from you. They are at 118 Boundary Street, Cranley which is very close to town. Check out their map here

Thanks for all your well wishes and I hope you are having a wonderful weekend.





33 comments:

  1. I have been thinking about you a lot. Your eye does look a lot better. I hope your news on Monday is all ok too. Being housebound I can totally understand and what makes it more difficult is when you are someone who likes to get out and do things. It's been a long one for you and I'm sending you a big, big hug.

    I hadn't realised Dragonfruit grew so slowly. Must admit that I have never tried it. You have a beautiful garden, so colourful.

    Take care and I'm thinking of you xx

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    1. Thanks Kylie. We used to have a beautiful when my husband was up to looking after it. Now it really is too much for him and it certainly is too much for me. I now realise why older people downsize :-)

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    2. I meant to say 'a beautiful garden'. My brain isn't functioning too well at present.

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  2. It's been nasty but I'm glad you're feeling a lot better now. Your garden is lovely, I wish mine looked like that after all the rain we've been having.

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    1. Valerie, the garden out the front was always beautiful in the past and it is sad to see so many weeds take hold. I would love to just pay someone to come in and clean it up.

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  3. Oh Nanna Chel, you poor thing. If only we were closer in distance and I and my family could fuss about and make things OK for you.....we send our love from afar instead. Phil

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    1. That's okay, Mr.HM. I am not used to being fussed over :-) Thanks for your concern.

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  4. You are looking much better now and hope you are feeling that way too. Love your colourful bromeliads.

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    1. Yes the bromeliads are looking quite lovely at the moment, Robyn. They certainly likes those few inches of rain at the beginning of the week.

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  5. Oh you poor thing! I'm sure it won't take long until you feel comfortable to go out again, it does take a while to recover from these procedures too, so take it easy until you get your strength back. Enjoy your time with your relatives today, however brief.

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    1. Thanks Karen. Yes it was nice to see all the family if only for a brief time. My sister enjoyed the lunch so that was what mattered most.

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  6. Our garden has loved the rain too. So has the grass. It's due for another mow, and it hasn't even been a week since the last time! Never mind. The chickens and guinea pigs, love the grassy abundance. And it does make a lovely change from brown.

    I hope this healing resolves quickly for you. Knowing what that rash is, will help you some too. I wonder if you had some kind of allergic reaction to the local anaesthetic? I broke out in a mysterious rash recently too, and it itched like crazy. Then I discovered I was having a reaction to the medication I was using to treat it.

    It resolved quickly, after I stopped using it. But that was topical, applied to the surface of the skin. The medication you received, went into it, and may take longer to leave the system.

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    1. That's interesting, Chris. The rash only started a week after the first lot of surgery so I am not sure what is going on. I should find out tomorrow though thankfully.

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  7. glad you are healing well, sounds like you have had a reaction to the anesthetic, can happen in more sensitive areas like the face. hoping that's all it is anyway.
    rest up & let yourself heal;
    you can always take your sister out for a nice lunch to celebrate her 80th once you are well.
    thanx for sharing

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    1. Thanks Selina. I am looking forward to being able to go out without feeling like I have the plague. LOL!

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  8. Good to see you are improving, with any luck the results on Monday will give you something to work with to stop the rash.
    If you feel well enough to venture out a good pair of sunnies and a headscarf will hide most of the damage.
    Let me know when you are ready to catch up or if I can drop,off some books or dvds.

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    1. Thanks Margaret. Yes the sunnies cover up some of it but not sure about the headscarf though. LOL! You mean...wrap it across my nose? Ha ha! I will certainly be ready for a coffee meet up soon.

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  9. Nannachel, the flowers in your garden are beautiful. Not long to go until you find out about your rash. Your face appears to be healing well. I'm sorry that you're feeling so self conscious about your face, and didn't feel able to stay for your sisters birthday and to spend time with your extended family. It's such a shame that we can't see in to your beautiful heart and soul. Take care of yourself! 💜

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  10. Emmbee, apart from the scary face I didn't feel up to sitting through lunch as I have been just having broth most days. The thought of a Sizzlers meal was a bit of an overwhelming thought for me :-)

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  11. I'm glad to hear you are feeling better and healing. I'm sure being able to see out of that eye is a huge improvement. Your gardens look lovely and lush!

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    1. Thanks Julie....lovely and lush means a lot of weeds too unfortunately :-)

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  12. I hope you heal quickly. Praying for you.

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  13. Nannachel pleased to see signs of healing there, you have certainly been in the wars. I'm sure once you know what caused the rash you will feel better, I think it's always nicer to know what you're dealing with, not knowing is so unsettling.
    Your garden is so colourful and I don't think I'd ever heard of a dragon fruit until I read about it on your post.
    Take care.
    lavenderlass

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    1. Lavenderlass it is probably more a tropical fruit. It grows well in the Outback where I got the plant from.

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  14. I've been wondering how my bar brawler was going. I have to say that the scar line from the stitches is tiny and very neat and tidy. The rash, well that's something else again. I do hope you get answers for that today. Take care.

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    1. Ha ha, bar brawler...that's so like me :-) Yes the incision line won't be noticeable after a while as the doc has done such a great job. She gave me the option of going to a Plastic Surgeon to get the second lot of surgery done but I figured she did a good job first time round and I had a lot of confidence in her that she would do her best not to botch it up. She is just mystified about the rashy thing though. It is getting better every day but still very noticeable so I will be going around incognito for another week or so I think. I will avoid all bars too of course. LOL!

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  15. Glad to see healing but the rash has to be frustrating. Those flowers!! Oh my they are so interesting and different. They are beautiful! Hope the healing continues apace and you are able to go out again and feel normal soon.

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  16. Kathy don't you have Bromeliads over there? They are fairly hardy if you keep them in the shade although some do like the sun I believe. I guess the wouldn't like the snow though.

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  17. You are looking much better, so glad to see. Your garden looks wonderful. Take care and hope all goes well at the Doctors. Guida

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    1. Thanks Guida. I don't have to see the doctor again as she was just going to ring the swab results through. I still haven't heard from her. Hopefully today.

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  18. A beautiful garden is one of the warmest welcomes you can get after being housebound.

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    1. That's true, Andy. I just have to avoid looking at the weeds :-)

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