Post 72 Flowers

This is a photo I received last night, just after I had pressed the button on yesterday's blog post. It is from my friend Christine Thatcher in Watford, England. These are her irises now blooming in her garden in front of her grape vine.

It's lovely to have this evidence of Spring in the UK. I love irises, especially mauve ones. They are so flamboyant and bold - an excellent signal of VE Day, which I know is being celebrated today in the UK.











When I visited the shops two days ago, I indulged in a bunch of unopened oriental lilies, some of which are now open. I enjoy watching these open. Looking straight down into the flower provides great lessons in shading and I admire the way the pollen looks as if it is suspended . The side view is quite different, with those almost transparent stamens.

I also indulged in a pot of bloom for a spare container on my balcony. It looks lovely against the autumny foliage of the trees beyond.

There are a couple of succulents getting ready to bloom. I haven't taken a lot of notice of them before, but  they are now better established and I have plenty of time to do so.

This morning I had a long conversation with my friend Lorraine, who gave me cuttings for many of these succulents. Lorraine had a very bad fall several months ago, which put her in hospital with concussion. She has been housebound for months and still has headaches but she has been making short excursions for grocery shopping and even for fish and chips!

I don't usually discuss our Covid restrictions or management in this blog. I choose to think on, and share other things. I'm including the next bit of news because I think it might be of interest to some readers as a framework - and because watching it roll out occupied much of my day.

Our National Cabinet - the meeting of the heads of all States, Territories and the Commonwealth, agreed to a plan for easing restrictions for opening up to a 'Covid-safe economy'. The stages are agreed in framework form, and each State and Territory develops its own specific plan with timelines. As I have said before, I am a strong supporter of this very collaborative decision-making structure. I watched the Prime Minister's Press Conference then the various State Press Conferences.  State responses vary,  particularly in timelines, but they are all moving in the same direction. For those who might be interested, this is the South Australian version.

From next Monday cafes and restaurants can serve food outside and a number of activities can occur - but all in the context of no more than 10 people. The numbers increase somewhat in June and some indoor activities also open up.

I'm pretty hopeful of strong take-up by the South Australian community. I was confident enough to go out and buy some milk!

There is, by the way, a very strong message from all leaders, that international travel (with the possible exception of New Zealand)  is NOT likely for the foreseeable future.  Most commentators are taking this to mean not before 2021.

On my return with the milk I found the larger dove collecting the last of the seed on my balcony. He has a very dark tail and is long. His partner was cooing loudly all the time he was here.

Yesterday I made stock from the ham bones I bought on Wednesday. Today I skimmed the fat from the stock, discarded the bones after removing the flesh and added the vegetables. This is my mother's very old-fashioned vegetable soup with swede, turnip, parsnip and carrot. It's boiling away at the moment.

I was planning to begin the reading for my writing task for my brother, but I didn't make it. It's my weekend priority.

More good news of Jennifer this evening. She has moved to a respiratory ward and had 2 visits, one from a speech pathologist and one from Susan. She is tired but progressing well. She can speak in a very soft whisper. She was eating her dinner this evening when her nephew called. Susan will visit her again tomorrow before returning to Adelaide by plane via Melbourne on Sunday. This seems like miraculous progress and I am so grateful for the care, community and science that has made this happen.



In between Press Conferences, emails, phone calls and watching Poirot tonight,  I kept on with my hexies. I have a nice pile, ready to put together.

I hope that VE celebrations have brought much joy to all celebrating in the UK. I'm hoping to find some photos tomorrow of my father's RN ship on VE Day 1945.