Tuesday, May 16, 2023

Shot, weeded, relocated, mourned, chutney

Yesterday I went along and got yet another Covid booster

Waited here on a tiny metal chair, one of two, very small corner of the pharmacy. In came a really ancient Asian lady and her daughter, saw the one available chair and a three sided wheely stool thing, and clung to her daughter, very worried. 

She was clearly unable to manage alone, so I suggested they take my chair and the other, and I'd have the wheely backless stool. They were profoundly grateful, clearly the mom needed to be physically supported by her daughter at her side.  

Meanwhile I in turn was profoundly grateful I didn't have long to wait, balanced uncertainly on this stool, the kind medics use to scoot about. 

Once home I did my arm weights, because I'd been told by a nurse that arm movements avoid a lot of the local pain from the shot. 

Then, since the dove nest is no more, I cleared the general area where it had been, ready for planting something once I decide what 


And on a roll, before I plant, now's the time to move out the ficus for its summer at camp.




Now between the Japanese maple and the butterfly bush next door. This worked out well last year.  

It's strenuous, hauling an eight foot tree in a big pot across the room 


then over the step and across the patio, getting tangled in the maple on the way. It also involves hauling cinder blocks and wedging them to lodge it evenly in the ground so it won't fall over.

Then the living room needs to be swept, quite a bit of debris left.  And it's now summerized 



The ficus will put down roots through the pot into the earth and get a whole new lease of life before it comes in again in October.

Later Gary came over to confer about some vegetables he's planting, and was very upset to learn about the dove. 

I showed him the remaining egg, which had evidence someone had just started to peep

We had a little wake. Meanwhile rambunctious Billy the Pup distracted us, and the chat ranged all over. 

He'd never heard of chutney, and I offered him a sample pot. He insisted on tasting before he accepted, then said, whoa, this is great! I'm putting it on ice cream. 

A good idea, which I hadn't had, thinking more about main courses. Anyway he took away his vegetable plants, Billy the Pup and his pot of chutney. 

In the later afternoon I felt very tired, fell asleep reading and thought, gosh, that shot knocked me out. Then I remembered the heavy lifting and thought ah, maybe not just the shot.

Handsome Son visiting this afternoon, but I'm not doing much physical work, arm a bit tender, poor me. I might make yogurt.

Happy day everyone, tend your garden, metaphorically if you don't have a physical garden plot. 



32 comments:

  1. You did a LOT! That and the shot is definitely going to make you feel a little puny today. But look at your summertime indoor jungle! I love it. Plants can be like companions, can't they? I feel the presence of mine in my house and on my porches and they are soothing.
    And I've just come back from my garden where I did a little casual picking, noted the okra and peas coming up, and thumped a Georgia Thumper off a leaf. I should have smashed him but...well. You know.

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    1. Yes, I hate to kill anything. We don't always know their significance in the environment.

      I do feel as if my plants are silent friends, yes.

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  2. Two mockingbirds, I'll call them a young couple, just learning, nested above our fountain. Could not have been more beautiful but a very bad place to nest. They managed to hatch 2 out 4 eggs. Then came the grackels, nest no more. I left the nest in place.
    Anonymous AKA Tom

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    1. I guess two out of four ain't bad. You do sometimes wonder about bird nest-building decisions though.

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  3. Chutney on ice cream! That's a novel combination. Take it easy sometimes - moving 8' trees is hard for anyone.

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    1. Each time I move the ficus I wonder if I'll need help next time! Up to now no, but I'm open!

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  4. Your living room has such lovely light. I'm so grateful they have the Covid boosters. Good idea about the weights. I just kept waving my arms!

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    1. It was arm day anyway, so I waited till I was back home to do it. I'm glad about the boosters, too

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  5. I'm impressed how you manhandled that ficus out of the house and into its summer living space!

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  6. I could not have moved that plant! I need to get my next booster.

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    1. Yes do keep up. It's still around. I just heard from a friend she had it recently. She lives in a retirement place, and I wonder if the chances are greater there. You're not among crowds, S.

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  7. Yes, and my silent friends are being somewhat neglected lately. Many flowers, etc. outside that demand time and energy. I need to enjoy the outdoors for the few weeks before big Texas heat roars in. Alas, my ficus wouldn't survive the oven
    outside. Love your plants. They look beautiful by the window. You did great moving that tree. Hopefully help will be around for its return journey.

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    1. We do get hot summers, but not Texas style. With some shade my ficus does fine. My other houseplants, not enough shade.

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  8. Good job on moving that plant. If I had moved it I’d be out for the next day.
    I’m glad your able to now get in and revamp your garden. It will look lovely I’m sure

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    1. I think I have to decide what to plant now. It's just a few square, largely shady, feet.

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  9. That little egg is such a sad sight. Bloody nature. Hits you where it hurts.
    I am grateful to live in a climate where the plants just do their thing wherever they are. No need to move in and out with the seasons.

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    1. When I had more shade I used to move all the houseplants out in May, hang them from the now departed cherry tree, then bring them in in October. I really liked the change in the house, much roomier in summer, cosier in fall.

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  10. Your few square feet of earth are well managed!

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  11. We get our boosters next Wednesday.

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  12. We will be due for another booster shot this summer. Great tip about the weights afterwards.

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    1. It seems to have worked well. Very little soreness. That and a couple of pots of tea for liquid.

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  13. What a beautiful summery space! And no wonder you were tired for goodness sake! Chutney on ice cream? Hm, maybe a step too far.

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    1. I think it's worth a try, though. I mean, fruit etc.

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  14. Hauling heavy plants is definitely tiring. Probably why it takes me weeks to get all the pots off the driveway and into their summer spots after I haul them out of the garage. I never did get the fourth booster for covid.

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    1. I find it's the awkwardness of branches catching window frames and other plants as much as the weight. It adds up to heavy because of the resistance.

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  15. We've been told to drink lots of water and do 'windmills' with our arm after the shots. We did the water, forgot the windmills.
    So sad to see the egg so close to hatching.

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    1. I think the culprit may have been a crow. I've seen one flying back and forward this week.

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  16. What a job moving that plant! But being outdoors must do wonders for it.

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    1. It definitely stays healthy without needing ever larger pots this way. I've had it since the late 70s.

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