Tag: Flowers

Open Windows & Peachy Daffodil

It is an absolutely beautiful day today and I get to open my windows for the first time this year. I also managed to get an okay shot of my peach daffodil, though it is really windy, so it isn’t great. It’s good enough for you to see how different it is from the traditional cup center you often see with daffodils.

Peach and White Daffodil
Peach and White Daffodil

This might technically be a double because of the multi layered petals. It sort of reminds me of my dwarf daylilies.

If the day continues to be this gorgeous, I might have to try and take a walk. When I was outside getting these photos, it seemed like everyone that lives here and then some were out doing just that, so I’ll have to see.

I’m hoping for an equally pretty sunset. I’d figured out a perfect place to try and get some amazing shots a while ago, but haven’t had the opportunity to get out and test it out, either because of weather or timing. I might just be able to pull it off if the sky decides to cooperate with me.

Yellow And White Daffodil

This is one of the daffodil’s that looks a little unusual. It doesn’t have that cup like center shape, but looks more like layered petals instead. I really wish I remembered what I picked out when I bought these or had a photo to reference because I really don’t remember these being so different. My other one is kind of similar, but with slightly different colors.

Daffodils And A Bear Hunt

I finally have some daffodils blooming. At the moment, I have three different ones, but I think I have a couple more that are trying to pop as well. This one looks to be the most traditional looking one so far. The other two are very different. I’ll try to get some photos later today of those if the sun would ever decide to come out.

There are all kinds of stories going around about various different neighborhoods, groups, or individuals doing things to help entertain their neighbors right now. One of the things that I’d seen was directed more towards little kids. They were calling it a bear hunt. Residents would put some sort of bear (stuffed or other) in a window where it could be seen from the outside. When the kids would go for a walk, they could hunt for the bears in the windows.

My neighborhood decided to do one as we have a lot of grade school age kids that live around here. I’m a huge bear fan and Hubby has gotten me a few really fun ones over the years, so I decided to share the one that would be most easily seen. My giant one. He kind of takes up the whole window (not that is is a huge window).

Bear Hunt - Bear In The Window
Bear Hunt – Bear In The Window

It was just a really simple thing to do and the little kids can have a fun activity that doesn’t require any interaction with other people. I thought it was cute and fun. Now I have a bear hanging out in my window waving at anyone that walks by.

I will say, it is a bit disturbing to see it up there at night. I guess older teenagers and adults can play along and find a way to give it a creepy feel as it looks a little deranged staring out at you in the dark.

 

Just Almost

This one has been sitting at almost open for days. I’m getting impatient. Same goes for my daffodils, though I think at least one might be open today. Sadly it is foggy and misty and on the nasty side, so I’m not sure I’ll get any pictures today.

At some point this week, I WILL get downstairs and finish up my PMC charm I’ve been working on. It seems that lately, before I even have time to think about getting to work on it, 10 other things pop up that I need to do instead. Hopefully the majority of those side things that I didn’t really plan are out of the way. Hopefully.

Magenta Hyacinth

Some of my earliest hyacinths are starting to look a little sad while I have one that is just starting. I realized today that I have so many colors of these now. A white one, two different purples, a pale pink, this kind of striped magenta and a solid magenta (that one never seems to photograph well). I have no idea what color the one that is still in deep bud phase is, but I think it might be another white.

My daffodils are just starting to open, but haven’t gotten all the way yet. I’ll probably have another day or two to share the hyacinths before I can get a good full shot of any of the daffodils. I really don’t remember what colors I got last fall, so that will be a fun surprise!

I’m going to be an absolute slug today because EVERYTHING hurts after having crawled around on my hands and knees working on that floor yesterday. I love it when my body reminds me that I’m really an out of shape old lady and not some young thing. BG had to make a point of telling me that she feels just fine today. The little shit!

Hyacinths In Bloom

According to the calendar and BG, who informed me while flying down the stairs and out the door to change my sign, that yesterday was the first day of spring. It was a beautiful, sunny 75 degrees.

Today? It is 30 and potentially sat below freezing long enough to have done damage to my newly out flowers, so I have no clue how many pretty photos of these I’ll have to share. At least today is still sunny.

Constantly Changing

This time yesterday, our city had only implemented a ban on certain size gatherings with our state having followed not far behind with the same as a suggestion. Within a few hours, that gathering size number had reduced for our city. A few hours later, our city mayor closed schools, restaurants, theaters, and bars and put in place a ban on gatherings larger than 10. The mayor. Our county and state government has not.

Have I mentioned that our city doesn’t have a single confirmed case? There are a few in surrounding counties, so a part of the metro area, but not our city itself. Some of those surrounding counties are following our mayor’s lead. Other cities in our state do have cases, yet they aren’t implementing these measures and our governor isn’t doing anything other than suggesting the earlier limit on gathering sizes (that does not include businesses or schools). A suggestion, not a ban.

I’m thrilled our mayor is being so aggressively proactive. His stance forced our kids’ school to move to an online program after spring break because of the closure even though the district itself isn’t in the city, but part of a cooperative of districts in the area.

We got word this morning that Hubby’s work is moving to a work from home model for all employees that are capable of doing so. Even BG’s dance studio is implementing classes via a video app so they can learn the remainder of their routines. While there is still a very real chance that the recital will end up canceled or, at the very least, postponed, the kids will be ready to go however this pans out.

I am just extremely relieved all the way around. It all looks very different, but life is still going on. I will be utterly heartbroken if recital and MC’s graduation end up canceled, but I would much rather see those things canceled if it means we are flattening the curve and if it keeps anyone from being put at risk.

Beginning To Open

These aren’t quite open, though they are getting so close. I have a couple that are still deep into the new bud phase that will take even longer. It is kind of nice as it will keep something blooming in that front bed for a while.

I got confirmation that the prom that MC was still hoping to go to is getting canceled or postponed and I’m relieved. I hate that he is disappointed, but I’m also glad that this is settled. I can do what I’ve known for a while is the right thing without a lot of extra stress.

Hubby and I have been talking also about whether he is going to choose to work from home after he goes back to work. He had taken the first few days of the kids’ spring break off so we could spend time together as a family. After a few things that happened last week that bothered me, I’m really concerned about him going back into the office.

My concern is that I may be at a higher risk than your average healthy person because of my winter bronchitis. I’m still coughing, so the concept that he could be exposed and bring that home with him is frightening, especially if you have spent any time at all reading some of the stories. I know that I’m nowhere near at risk as some, but I’m still worried.

As of right now, our state hasn’t closed schools, something that I’m really pissed off about. Granted, most of our state is on spring break, but again, this is about a massive lack of leadership from those in the position to make those decisions and their unwillingness to actually take proactive measures to ensure the well being of others.

Talk about one nasty mixed bag of emotions going on right now.

Rain Kissed Crocus

It is cold and rainy today, which made for some phenomenal photos, even if it is more crocus. I would have gotten more, but it was actually still misting and I really wasn’t in the mood to get drenched, so I only got a handful. I WILL have some hyacinths for you soon as they are almost open.

As I’m sure many of you are in a similar situation, my state declared a state of emergency. This is a full day after my city did so on its own, without any guidance from further up the government chain. Sadly, my city is doing a better job of actually trying to make a difference in banning certain number of gatherings (though still probably not enough), whereas my state has only made the declaration to free up funding. They have not imposed any restrictions or canceled schools, leaving it up to local heath departments.

Honestly, I’m frustrated by the whole thing. The people at the top that should be guiding the rest of this country in best practices aren’t doing squat, leaving it to those downhill to clean up the mess, but the people downhill aren’t doing any better.

I do my damnedest to keep anything political off my blog, but this is just too much. Where I live, there are no cases in the immediate area, but a few on some of the outer lying areas with more popping up every day. We are in a perfect position to stop or at least slow down this spread, at least in our area, but the people that should be making the decisions to close down schools or other major centers that are basically petri dishes are passing the buck to someone else.

The kids’ school has a plan in place to go online after spring break, but they aren’t making the decision themselves, waiting for someone to tell them they have to. I get that they may not actually have the authority to make those kinds of decisions at the district level, but someone should be stepping up and making the responsible decision.

I really try not to jump into the panic and hysteria, but this isn’t something that people are going to be able to fix or even improve on at an individual level and those that are at high risk shouldn’t be considered disposable because no one wants to step up and make the probably unpopular move to say we should shut all these things down as best we can.

Can we please just be concerned about our fellow humans for a change?

Beautiful Stripes

I should have some hyacinths to share in the next couple of days. Until then, I’ll bombard you with pretty crocus. Hopefully it will add a little beauty to the chaos that is going on in the world today.

We had to go to the grocery store last night. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like it. The parking lot was completely full and that never happens. While the shelves weren’t entirely bare, there were definitely some bare spots and quite a few things on The List provided by the CDC on the recommended types of things to stock up on were really close to being bare.

I was just a little surprised that everyone was at least acting like decent humans and not a bunch of assholes. I didn’t see anyone with a cart full of nothing but one or two things being the sole reason something was wiped out. For the most part, people really were just getting those few extra things for the “just in case” scenario.

It is such a strange thing to see such a massive range in how people are responding to this. You have those that are utterly paranoid and ready to hole up in a bunker in the middle of nowhere with their 10 year stock of supplies, all the way down to those that think the whole thing is just a joke and are more pissed that they don’t have their sports to watch. It really kind of blows my mind. Especially those that really aren’t thinking about this in any serious context and are being stupidly careless.

In my house, we are in a position where we might have to make the decision to massively disappoint MC by canceling a planned trip so he could take his girl of 3 years to her prom. We had already bent over backwards to make this happen before the insanity hit, but now there is an additional personal layer of concern to this in that MCG’s (MC’s girl) household has a potentially at risk member of the family and I refuse to be the cause of someone getting sick.

I plan on talking to MCG’s mom to get her take on it, but after seeing the major changes going on all around just this morning, there is a very high likelihood that the decision will be taken out of our hands. The only reason we haven’t just canceled yet is that both our area and theirs are not currently problem areas and are relatively safe, but we are leaning heavily towards canceling. As much as I hate feeling like I’m taking this incredibly important moment from my son, I also know it is about so much more than whether or not he is disappointed.

It really is past time for people to get their heads out of the clouds and take this more seriously. Wash your hands. If you are sick, stay home. I get that not everyone has this luxury and I really do worry about those people and how they will get through this. There are enough of those that do have this luxury that aren’t taking advantage of it and being reckless in ignoring the advice of those that have the education and background to know how to help slow the spread. Be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem.

Sunny Crocus

I love it when I’ve worked out a plan for a day or even the weekend only to realize at the last minute that, Oops! You have something else to do!

I had planned on getting groceries while BG was at dance today, which is a long one, and leaving open the rest of my day today and tomorrow to try and get caught up on some things. It wasn’t until this morning when I was getting ready that I realized it was a watch day and I’d be at dance with BG and my grocery run would have to be put off until tomorrow.

Seriously… love the old age brain.

While it feels like I’m never going to get all my stuff done that is on a massively long to do list, I actually did make a lot of progress getting things crossed off that list this week. Even with the hiccups and flat tires. I still have a massively long list, but it is now a slightly shorter, massively long list.

And… I have pretty flowers coming up, so that makes everything better.

 

I Have Crocuses!

I knew I was close as I’d seen the little leaves popping up. I swear I just checked the day before and didn’t see any buds. Then yesterday, BG tells me I have something purple blooming. I expected maybe one small bud where you could see some color. Nope. They were all almost fully open. At least for this bunch. I planted a couple, so I should have another bunch blooming soon.

Hello spring! Glad to see you finally showing yourself.

I’ll be busy in my studio again today. I promised Sam I’d try to get some photos of my PMC project along the way, though it probably will just look like an ugly lump for a bit yet depending on how far I get today.

Black & White Hyacinth

It isn’t quite as pretty of a day today as yesterday, but at least we are seeing the sun more consistently.

I have another busy day today and it feels like even the days I don’t have a ton of stuff scheduled, something still comes up that needs to get done. While it looks like I have a couple of “free” days that are open this week, I know that by the time they get here, there will be something that decides to fill that space up. And I haven’t even hit the busy point of my year yet. April and May might just get ugly.

I’m realizing that with this new position as a reviewer for Envie!, I’m going to have to make some modifications to how I work my review posts here. Or at least when I write and post them. I’m not sure what will work best yet, but for now, I’ll be writing up the reviews for any books that would be potentials and leaving them as drafts until I’ve decided which one will be submitted for the next issue. Any reviews that wouldn’t work for the magazine will still be posted as I write them, I just have to make sure the one for the magazine gets published there first. This might make things interesting as I work out the kinks for that.

I have yet to cross any of my many upcoming projects off my list yet. I have started on one, but it is taking way longer than I expected to really nail down what I’m doing. I’ll probably have to spend at least a part of my day in my studio trying to finish that up tomorrow.

I’d say I’m looking forward to summer so I could already be done with the chaos, but I really don’t want to miss out on everything tied to that chaos. There is just too many fun and exciting events that come with it.

Peeking Through

It is kind of fitting that my Hyacinths are starting to poke through the ground today showing the first signs of spring. I will probably still need to cover them some as they are calling for a little more snow later in the week. For today, it is going to be sunny and in the 60s and I’ll be spending it with BG doing some birthday shopping for her.