I've always maintained that a weed is really just a plant that's in the wrong place (unless, of course, it has prickles, like Gorse or thistles).
So when I finally went to use the bathroom about 2 hours after I got home, and found a bunch (well, 3 stems) of beautiful blue flag iris and some pinky/apricot tulip blossoms in the vanity sink, my second reaction was "oooh, pretty weeds!" The first reaction was, "oops, darn, should have checked earlier!"
I went down to the other end of the house to find David in his study; "Pretty weeds." says I.
I must admit, the flag iris's are my favourite - I love the beautiful blue, with cream inside, and that they last for at least a week.
On the other hand, the 'real' weeds in my garden are running riot. It's been relatively warm (not less than about 12 deg) for the last couple of weeks, and a reasonable amount of sunshine, and LOTS of rain. There's a pretty purple flowered weed, and forgetmenots, california poppy, nasturtium's, fireweed and who knows what else. Every time I think about going outside to have a look, it rains again.
We did manage to weed the front flower beds a couple of weeks ago (they're only about 500cm wide and about 4 metres long - already there's 'weeds' poking their heads back out, but the begonias and stuff look very pretty.
I have two blueberry plants crying out to be planted, they have little pink buds on them! AWWWWWWW.
The massive 7.1 earthquake in Christchurch last Saturday, and then the continuing aftershocks haven't affected us. My son Alex lives in the Christchurch suburb of Riccarton, which sounds pretty safe. He was writing an assignment when the quake hit at 0434 in the morning - grabbed his monitor and computer and hung on for dear life. Only damage was a mirror. It sounds like the area that he lives is fairly stable, but the aftershocks are starting to affect his area too. There’s been more than 300, up to 5.4. An incredible amount of destruction, but no lives lost. I’m hoping he’s got involved with a student group that’s helping clean up the city, rather than the other bunch who are skateboarding the broken roads.
Makes me wonder when it will be Auckland's turn - but we'll be toast, not shaken and stirred. The city is built on a volcanic field, with more than 52 dormant and extinct volcanoes - the last to blow was only 600 years ago.
It seems to have been a really long month. Recurring stress-related migraines, lower back pain (now I've strained my sacro-iliac joint), hayfever, and not enough exercise. Serious blah-humbugs. I'm going to rejoin the gym, having quit a couple of months ago to try and save more money. I've tried 2 Zumba classes, but I really don't like latin American music, or the dance moves.
Church is good – a lifesaver really – or maybe a soul and sanity saver? It’s become a very important part of my life. I really enjoy the weekly Bible study too, JaM. It's interesting finding out the deeper meanings and background to the text, and the conversations afterwards are always stimulating.
It’s interesting to have confirmed the huge effect music has on my life/emotions/happiness. Now I listen almost exclusively to Christian worship music (the likes of Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Newsboys, Mark Harris, Kutless) – Christian Rock, I guess you would call it. There are some songs that make me just stop what I’m doing, close my eyes, and worship the Lord. Todd Agnew’s ‘Grace Like Rain’, Malcolm Gordon ‘Haere Mai’, Hillsong’s ‘Here I am to worship’. College helps too – having a community, a family, a group of people that really cares, that I can talk to. I had to stop doing Sunday School/Kidzchurch - I found it too isolating. Once I’d cleaned up the schoolroom, I’d get back into the hall to find everybody leaving, having missed the lesson, communion etc. So now I’m on hospitality – almost every Sunday, sigh – helping set everything up, serving cake/snacks after the service, and then cleaning up. So, depending on my mood, I can hide in the kitchen, or go out and talk to people.
I’ve been to a couple of women’s conferences, and on Friday night we have a ‘women’s night’ of massage, painting and chatting. Could be fun.
