Saturday, July 31, 2021

Strange times

So no yard mowing today due to heavy particles of smoke in the air. That put the kabash on the Big Plan for the day. 

I guess if the grass really got out of hand, I'd do what I did in 2008 and again in 2016. Put a hot wire around parts of the yard and let my critters do the mowing.

Instead I picked berries this morning then closed up the house for the A/C to hopefully keep hubby feeling healthier.

Cell phone shots of the berries. 



The top photo is from the top of the ridge and the unripe ones are midway down into the valley. There are micro climates in our woods and I am beginning to understand that certain areas will produce berries in different stages.

Since I couldn't mow due to how wet it was and how bad the air was, I collected some flowers to try 'pressing' and drying. I dyed some Queen Anne's Lace with food coloring and some Fleabane.

Here is my sample of flowers I am pressing between two boards:


There is also Chicory, wild Vervain, Cosmos, Bee Balm, and Marigold. This method is supposed to take about a week or more.
I have to change the paper every few days to draw the moisture out. I used some rocks from my garden as weight for the top board.


Now I have some ideas of trying to put some of the flowers on handmade greeting cards so I will watch some videos of that. Another option is to place the pressed flowers into a picture frame and use it as a decoration?

It all started because I wanted some Queen Anne's Lace to use for some Still Life photos and perhaps dry some for a bouquet in the winter. 

What strange times we live in, when the midday sun is but an orange orb in the sky.

I almost feel like I am living in a science fiction novel.

A secondary smoke plume will then be
transported southward across the state Saturday afternoon into early
Sunday morning. Elevated fine particulate matter (PM2.5)
concentrations are anticipated to result in air quality index (AQI)
values in the UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS level over this period.
Sensitive groups include children, elderly people, individuals with
respiratory and cardiac problems, and anyone engaged in strenuous
outdoor activities for a prolonged period of time.

So... I was out doing garden work and dead heading the petunias when something very odd happened. I noticed I had a splotch of brown paint or maybe bug goo on my glasses. It was in sharp focus and moved when I stood up. Totally freaky! 
So I grabbed my glassed off and it was still there.
I brushed my face because, just well, because.

It moved and then swirled. I dropped my crap right then and there and headed to the house. 

Visit to Urgent Care sent me to the ED. After some testing I was given the diagnosis.
Vitreous Hemmorrhage. 
Vitreous is the clear gel in the center of your eye. Mine had blood in it. 
I will see an Ophthalmologist on Monday.

No bending. No lifting. No straining. No exercise. Damn, they should have included NO cooking too.
I get to sleep sitting up.  

I am not in pain but apparently this needs to be figured out and I don't need more blood seeping around in my eye. It sort of looked like this, but brown:


I still see stuff floating about and coming into my visual field. Hmmm. Mmmm.

Strange Times indeed.

Have a great weekend. 

6 comments:

  1. Oh my! My eye dr has warned me of this since I have so many floaters. Hopefully yours will clear up on its own without any procedures. Thinking good thoughts!!
    The smoke was bad here today but cleared some tonight after supper. I felt better about watering the tomatoes and the flowers and parts of the lawn. Gene is real short of breath, we ordered an air purifier a Dyson but shipment was delayed until Monday. Hang in there!

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    1. That is what I am hoping also. I'm sure it wasn't an URGENT emergency since they did not send me on to the Big Trauma center. CrossFit is definitely out until things heal up as well as most of my yard work. I'm going to remain optimistic.

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  2. Oh no, so sorry to hear about your eye/s :( Sounds kinda scary. I would have seen a DR right away too. I've never heard of such a thing. Truly hope it resolves easily & isn't problematic. Sending good mojo & a {hug}!! Try to get some good rest. Not easy when sitting up, I know.

    As for pressing flowers, I use to dry mine between wax paper inbetween the pages of a (big) phone book. Back in the day, when we had phone books lol. A blogger friend creates donkey & other things out of dried flowers/seeds etc and puts them in epoxy. Dried flowers would look uber cool on your skulls! Just sayin'

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    1. Yes, I have all sorts of ideas running around in my head about the dry flowers...if they work. Apparently there is a method of drying flowers in a microwave too!
      Hopefully I can get in to see the specialist today and get some sort of plan going.
      My biggest fear is losing eyesight.

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  3. Anonymous3:53 AM

    Ouch, a very scary eye problem. I am sending you positive vibes that it heals itself and all goes smoothly for you.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, it was terrifying when it happened. With an interesting twist...hubby has helped more around the house!

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