(no subject)

[pensnest]

The osteopath who has an office at the gym was doing free consultations this morning, so I went to talk to him about my cranky bones, and am going for a proper appointment on Monday. I seem to have got all lopsided, which is irritating (at best).

Did a bit of weeding this afternoon while Beast tackles the mammoth task of mowing the lawn. The tiny flowerbed on the approach to the front door, which I painstakingly weeded last year and planted with miniature roses and pansies, and from which I could have sworn I removed all the bluebell bulbs, was thick with bluebells, forget-me-nots, dandelions and other unwanteds. The roses are still there, and not actually dead (though one of them is definitely struggling) but only one pansy remains. I don't think I even dug the others up, they just didn't seem to be there at all!

I have asked to change from bass to baritone, on the grounds that after Thursday rehearsals my throat is always fuzzy and discontented. Even though I can usually reach the D below Middle C, it's *hard*. And if there's a bottom C, I find it really hard just to miss out the note and end up vocalising it in the back of my throat, which doesn't work and isn't good. So now, I shall have to learn to sing the notes nobody else wants. Should be fun.

And I finished another pair of socks.

Comments

[sperrywink]

Good luck at the doctor. Lopsided doesn't sound comfortable.

[pensnest]

Thanks! No, it's not comfortable. I don't usually have this many aches and pains!

[turlough]

Good luck with the appointment on Monday. I hope there's something he can do. Being lopsided can put all sorts of uneven stress on your body.

I'm suprised to hear the pansies have disappeared. I always thought they were almost indestructible!

[pensnest]

I'd forgotten the pansies were there until I found one - so annoying! There were several, yellow and white and purple, and all have gone. :-(

[ephemera]

Hee - I've been thinking that I'd like to get bluebells established in the one corner of my garden that isn't gravel, which just goes to prove that a weed is just a plant in the wrong place! Here's hoping the osteopath and the switch of singing registers (is that the right word?) both agree with you, and lead to thriving and well-being.

[pensnest]

The bluebells are very welcome in other parts of the garden - although to my annoyance the bulbs that I took out of some bits and put into other bits don't seem to have grown this year. Gah. Good luck with yours, and be sure to get English bluebells if you can.

[watervole]

Are yours English or Spanish bluebells?

I've found Spanish ones are extremely difficult to eradication. really annoyingly, some that were sold to me last year as English turned out to be Spanish. At least Haskins gave me a refund (not their fault as they bought them in from a bulb grower and the packaging said English)

If yours happen to be English, then I'd love to have some...

[pensnest]

*I honestly don't know. They were very thoroughly established in the garden when we moved in, so I haven't even misleading labels to go by. Having looked them up online, I wouldn't be at all surprised if what's growing here are hybrids. But the flowers are mostly over now, so it's hard to tell for sure.

[watervole]

Hybrids are quite common.

Features for English bluebells:

Flower spray droops in a curve

Darker blue tending to purple

Narrower leaves than Spanish

narrower florets.

I think the shape of the flower spray is probably the most indicative, but it is a combination of all the above. Took me a while to get my eye in, but now I can tell without even needing to go close to the plant.