Upright and out and about

At last.  Although it's been a bunny-hop kind of healing process. Each time it seemed I was done with it, either another phase came knocking, or I went backwards to a previous one, with spiking temps and nasty headaches. It all seems to be evening out though, with tiredness being my main problem now.
My first foray out into the world was last week, when I went for a blood test to check the virus is no longer in my system.....and the results on Friday were positive.....or negative actually....all gone, which means it can't be passed on if a mosquito bites me, then moves on to someone else....Such a relief.

Now that I'm feeling better, I'm really enjoying getting out for early morning walks with my girl. She was pretty happy to head out with whoever came to take her, until she realised I wasn't coming, and would peer through the gate at me, whining softly. It usually took a few throws of her ball to get her off and running, but she'd still be looking back to see where I was.  

It's been good, too, to have the energy to enjoy wandering around the garden, checking out all the lovely autumn blooms, and ticking all sorts of little jobs off the list I've been compiling in my head for the last few weeks as I've staggered past, back to my bed, muttering to myself.."must weed that garden bed, sweep those pathways, tidy the potting table" etc.

 I overdid it the first day, and so have been pacing myself more, and just doing an hour and stopping, even if I feel like continuing. So far, I've cleared the weeds from the veggie patch, and now have broad beans, green beans, broccoli, cabbage and greens planted. I'll have to re-do the broad beans, as "someone" decided it was a lovely cool spot to have a lie down in.

Not looking very remorseful at all

Mother's Day 'mums'.

 A lot of my allotted garden hours have been spent trying to get rid of a nasty feral weed, the madeira vine.  It's sprung up everywhere since the flood, seems to grow overnight, and resists most efforts to be rid of it, since it sends long and strong tubers underground, and the fine tendrils it sends out end up twining and joining together to form a very tough stalk.

Twining together 

Thick network of stems, that all lead to zillions of tubers underground

 It grows up into tree canopies and smothers any plants in it's path and if you try pulling the vines out of the canopy, little potato-like bulbs fall to the ground and re-grow. Cut vines can remain alive if they're left on the ground or in the canopy and regrow as well.  The best but most time consuming way to get rid of it is to cut it back carefully so as not to dislodge the tubers, to find the sems that lead back to underground tubers and scrape and paint, with regular follow up. I'd been doing this but in the time I've been unable to do any gardening, it's taken over again.  It definitely takes the pleasure out of gardening, talk about Day of the Triffids!

But there have been more pleasurable tasks, like cleaning up the courtyard and getting it ready for winter enjoyment.

This morning I pulled weeds from the paving, tidied, pruned back overgrown shrubs and set out the chairs and tables. That dreaded madeira vine had started to grow here as well, but they were just small plants and easy to eradicate. This is such an excellent little winter spot, and is a great sun-trap,  surrounded by tallish plantings as it is, and protected from the cold south-westerlies that can make the riverbank unpleasant this time of year. it's the perfect spot to enjoy a pot of tea, some reading or hand sewing, and even today, with not much sun around, it's really pleasant to sit here, enjoying the back drop of the camellia in full bloom, the buzz of contented bees, and the odd honey-eater visiting to enjoy the nectar, and churring away above me.

I managed to catch this one feasting on the bottle brush.

Afternoon tea will be enjoyed out there later, as I have a few "orphan mothers" ...as we call ourselves......coming ..........friends whose mothers are no longer with them, don't live locally, or whose children are far away.....so I'm off now to pop some strawberries on the sponge cake, and dig out the prettiest cups and saucers  ready for an afternoon of good company, cake and laughter.

To all the mothers, I hope you're having a lovely day.