After dreaming up a title for this post, I realized the title is something of takeoff of Late To The Garden Party, which is a great garden blog. Be sure to visit it, if you haven't already.
I was late to the Covid party, having come down with it for the first time in mid-October. Somehow I'd missed it until now. I was just about to get re-vaccinated for the ninth(?) time when I became ill, likely with variant XFG, aka 'Stratus' or 'Frankenstein'.
Unfortunately I passed the virus on to Beloved before we realized what I had. He's mostly recovered but it was harder on him.
I felt awful with the usual symptoms for about 36 hours, and after that, just really really tired for the next two, maybe three weeks. Really tired. Zero energy. No gardening. No nothing.
Well, almost nothing. Walking teenage boy dog terror Harry as much as I could manage.
Harry decided to tear up a few things and yank the rug around one morning:
Natasha, on the other hand, was satisfied just showing off the results of her bath. She'll be 14 years old this month.
Pretty gorgeous for an old lady!
One plant purchase: a Farfugium japonicum 'Areomaculatum' for a small shady corner on the patio. I went looking for a fern for this area, but the Farfugium beckoned. I planted it as soon as I got home.
Around the garden, 'The Prince':
Lovely!
Sorry to hear covid found you, but you bounced back strong! Look at fluffy Natasha, what a pretty girl. Love that farfugium. The hedge does feel like a considerable amount of work. The one positive about being sick, is how wonderful it feels being well again.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Natasha is a beauty and she knows it and uses it. I like her sassy attitude.
DeleteParticularly happy to have energy again. Felt drained empty.
Covid does drain every bit of energy out of you; I'm glad it's over, though it takes time to regain full strength. Since you developed immunity (the hard way), you can postpone vaccination for a while.
ReplyDeleteHow old is your "teenage boy dog terror" now? If only Natasha could settle him, teach him the ways of the household... waking up to a disrupted living space must be startling! I wouldn't be surprised if Harry was stressed over your illness.
Seedling grown Barleria obtusa is a beauty, and so lovely that's it's a gift. Will the leafs develop the burgundy-purple hue at some point?
Chavli
Harry seems to be getting more teen not less. He's been a challenge, but a pretty good challenge. He was freaked out I was missing (upstairs in bed--couldn't get up) for 36 hours. He's a sensitive dog--more so than a pure Samoyed which has that husky independence streak.
DeleteI would have preferred the vaccine--but yes--the vaccine gets put off for a while--I read 3 months.
I read there is a Barleria that gets quite showy foliage, but I don't think it's the one I have--the showy foliage ones seems to be one sold in Australia. It's always fun having a plant from someone else's garden--it's like visiting friends when you see the plants.
I'm so sorry to hear that you've been sick. We just got our shots a few weeks ago. I'm glad you are back in the garden. I know exactly what you mean about the hedge thing. Natasha is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThanks--glad you guys got your vaccines. The zero energy part is no fun even if it's not particularly uncomfortable. Hedges--every plant has its drawbacks--or maybe almost every one. I'd tell Natasha you said that, but she's quite vain already. She hears it from me a lot.
DeleteI'm glad you and your beloved have mostly recovered. I took Paxlovid when Covid caught up with me last July immediately the Fling. While Paxlovid quickly made me feel better, I responded by jumping right back into the garden, only to have a rebound that put me back for almost 3 weeks. I suspect I'd have been better off if I gave myself the time I needed to recover at the outset as you did.
ReplyDeleteYour garden is looking good! I'm glad the Barleria came through for you. Prolific blue flowers are welcome any time but especially this time of year. The plant does self-seed and its stems will root when they touch soil but it's relatively easy to pull up the seedlings and to manage its creep..
Alan got the Paxlovid because of the asthma. I didn't bother. It wasn't so bad for me. Just the exhaustion when there's so much to do.
Delete'Vermillionaire' does the stems-rooting thing too. It was a delight to see the flowers all of a sudden. The plant was looking green and healthy and I wondered when it was going to bloom--then walking down and seeing the flowers was such a fun surprise. Thanks again!
We're heading to our doc for vaccines first thing now that we're in LA again. So glad you came through quickly, if exhausted. Harry, you need to calm down! That's some redecorating he did for you. Natasha must crack up at the puppy antics. I hear you on the hedges -- the front Ollies are out of control, high and beamy. Despite old succulents like Hercules, the Ollies have made the front garden a shade garden and I should start planting it as such! Take it slow, so glad you're better.
ReplyDelete