Nothing played out as intended this last weekend. One of the whippets, Finn, sideswiped a hedge at speed and tore a hole in his flank ... we didn't make it to the beach but we did take a trip to the vet's. Five stitches! Bless him, he's not trying to lick the wound so at least he's avoided
the cone of shame!
And there wasn't any 'Andyfest' yarn shopping for me either. Guess who managed to get Euphorbia latex all over her hands while scavenging for wild flowers for the
cut flower challenge.
Not recommended if you have sensitive skin, the same toxin is used to prime poison arrows! Sun Spurge (
E. helioscopia), also known as Madwoman's Milk ... the Mr. seemed to think that was funny!
Actually, the flower challenge - buy nothing - isn't going to plan either. With such a teensy garden, and during a wash-out summer, I've mostly been relying on the fields and hedgerows hereabouts for my floral gleanings, and I'm getting mighty tired of meagre little posies and tussie-mussies. The last time I had a jug full of flowers about the place and not just a jam jar was when the cow parsley was still blooming. I've loved being inventively thrifty - see buttercups and bolting mint in old mug, above - but after nine months I
need a great big bunch of something pretty. So tomorrow I'm off to Burrell's florists in the next village, to see what they've got in, and just the thought is making me happy.
Dahlias would be good, I adore dahlias! Or some white gladioli. Roses! Or ... do you think it's too late for alliums? How about you, what would you choose?
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Shout outs today to Karie at
Fourth Edition, Bobbi at
The Lazy Designer, Lulu at
Crochet the Blues Away, Ginny at
Ginx Craft,
La Beaute Obsession, and Susie, Caroline, Lynne and Snickers (for whom I couldn't find links, so do shout if you have one ladies). Thank you all for stopping by, and thanks too to everyone else who makes the time to visit :D
And
more thanks, to
Alessandra for the One Lovely Blog Award and to
Wendz for popping my name in the giveaway hat, and then pulling it out again! An embarrassment of riches, of which more another time ... thank you m'dears :D
Don't miss
my giveaway, will you, it's ending soon!
Oh goodness! Poor pup! Sorry to hear he needed stitches! But atleast no cone...those are so pitiful.
ReplyDeleteOur flowers are pretty spent here too. The roses seem to be recovering their composure, but most of my potted plants just turned to straw. Ah well...maybe next time, right? :)
In spring i buy tulips and afterwards roses (fair trade). Yellow or pink. You deserve a big bunch of flowers. :-)
ReplyDeleteOh to have tulips again. They last so well in colder climes habit not here! I've been buying yellow lilies and proteas of late. They last well and look lovely. A dear friend dropped in a big bunch of spring d'affaires the other day.SO cheerful!
ReplyDeletePoor Fin for his injury and poor you for having to forgo your plans.
ReplyDeleteHope you find the right flowers to make your heart sing.
I do hope you find dahlias. They are my second favourite flower (after tulips). The gloriously rich colours will be the perfect tonic to your flower drought I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, it probably is too late for alliums.
When I was a child in NZ there were buttercups everywhere. The other day I was talking to a friend about daisies and buttercups in the grass and what games we played with them. It made me realise how much I miss them here in Australia. You have made my day by sharing your buttercups with me..thank you so much! (much love to Fin too!)
ReplyDeleteOK. You HAVE to buy dahlias- long lasting, rich colours, seasonal and indulgent-looking. And usually so bargainous too.
ReplyDeletePoor Finn. Not a great way to spend the BH weekend, sending doggy well wishes his way.
Ax
Sorry to hear about your mishaps and hope both you and dog will be OK. Love your little posies but if you feel the need for a bigger bunch then why not eh? I would wait and see what they have before deciding and knowing your floral artistry I know you will make the most of whatever you find as your posies always look stunning even when just a few buttercups and some mint! Hope that in spite of your weekend problems this week will be a good one for you - the sun is out this morning here after torrential rain all day yesterday - Sod's Law of course!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear about your little whippet, hope he heals well and gets better soon!
ReplyDeleteFlowers...hmm...I don't really have a favourite. If I had to pick, I'd say Gerberas - but that's just the mood I'm in at the present moment lol!
Sarah xx
Has to be sunflowers! Garish but cheerful. Hope Finn heals well.
ReplyDeleteJust another note on buying flowers dont you hate it when the shops have out of season stuff? Our local supermarket has (spring) Iris. Weird.
Dear Annie
ReplyDeleteSometimes life is like that - you make plans and it decides to change them. Hope you are all recovering. Dahlias are beautiful in the late summer, but asters are also on the way and echinacea and heleniums are also looking good. Hope you find some beautiful flowers to cheer you all up.
Best wishes
Ellie
Poor old Finn. Hope his wound recovers speedily x Also poor you - no yarn and no beach. There is always another day...Sometimes a big bunch of flowers is what you need. You seem to be longing for something big to contrast with your pretty little posies so go for what ever takes your fancy and buy big! Enjoy your picking xxx
ReplyDeleteRoses, its always has to be roses. Not those blooms shipped half way across the world either in their lipstick shade and no fragrance. Proper old fashioned roses that make you reel from their scent. I like Dahlias too, but they have to be in bonkers colours. Dark purples juxtaposed orange and screaming pink. In Spring, its daffodils - armfuls of them.
ReplyDeleteWe're still seeing some alliums blooming up here in the frozen north, but sunflowers, Lillie's and marguerites are what's making my garden sing at last... When it's not blowing a howling gale and bucketing rain of course :-/
ReplyDeleteoh dear , what a weekend. Well done to Fin for not licking him stitches and avoiding that lovely headwear :-) I hope the Euhporbia rash dies down soon to - I love that plant but have always avoided it as although it looks lovely it can cause problems as you say. Re flowers, buy some bulbs fr next year, you will love love love freshias and dahlias can be grown in pots too to carry you through the year :-)x
ReplyDeletePoor, poor Finn ... he must be feeling miserable ... the beach isn't going anywhere, there will be another day ... oh and flowers ... I love them all ... although I think big bright gerberas and freesias, with their gorgeous peppery scent might be my current favourites ... Bee xx
ReplyDeleteI love simple flowers like daises and sunflowers, sometimes gerberas!!!
ReplyDeletehope Finn is doing well and that you feel better, too!!
anyway, you are more than welcome Annie!! xx
Alessandra
Gah! The dreaded euphorbia! You have my sympathy.
ReplyDeleteI am a sucker for the garish this time of year. Dahlias are my favourite (the slugs had mine for breakfast, lunch and tea). Sunflowers are cheering, and glads - oh so very gorgeous, possum.
Definitely Dahlias! I feel your pain :)
ReplyDeleteThe Cone Of Shame brings out panic in me at the thought of the two weeks spent dragging Lottie around the roads with it on to prevent her pulling the stitches and the cone off. She is a Spaniel not trained on a lead - imagine! Everyone in a 5 mile radius could hear it scraping off the floor, walls, pavements... Hope yours is well soon.
I do hope Finn is on the mend, Annie, and your latex encounter effects have worn off! What a day of undesirable, unexpected events!
ReplyDeleteI was given some ginat allium seed heads a couple ,of weeks ago so am hoping they will do their thing and come up next year. I used not to like dhalias very much, but they seem tohave grown on me lately.
Finding it difficult to get back into reading and commenting after being away..not on GMT yet, I suspect!
Dahlias!
ReplyDeleteYour poor dawg, clearly a brainy breed if he still recalls the cone! But what about you, poor Annie .. My daughter picked hellebores to her peril several years ago. We had to pull the whole lot up sadly.
How exciting visiting the florists shop, the height of decadence I always think ;)
get well soon Finn!
ReplyDeletelove from E and R xx
What a great fun fact about euphorbia. We planted it (cushion spurge, I think) at a previous home in a spot that needed something tough that spread. It spread. And spread. We called it 'euphoria' or 'scourge' I never cut any, which sounds like a good thing. Our Dahlias and glads are just about done. Everything is early and draggy looking because of the heat. Even my mums are about half done. Have fun flower shopping. I bought a beautiful bouquet for my desk at work from the local farmers market. Their flowers look better than mine this year.
ReplyDeleteI do hope your pup heals quickly!! Vet visits can be stressful.
ReplyDeleteI know just what you mean about the cut flower challenge. I've enjoyed searching for different flowers and blooms and I love the little jars of sweet peas I have at the moment. But that's the problem - they are always little collections and sometimes I want something with a bit of height and body.
ReplyDeleteOh, Annie. Poor Fin. Poor Fin's mamma. So sorry your weekend wasn't all it was hoped for....life happens. The flower-thing I totally understand. My only surviving color is with some zinnias, the plants given to me by a friend. And while they are lovely in a cup---the plants all turned out to be just about the same color, look absolutely dastardly flopping willy-nilly in the garden, and I'm just about ready to be done with them.--not quite yet--just about. (I even tried adding a bit of color with some flowering garlic!!--Phew. Stinky!!!!)
ReplyDeletePoor Finn, so pleased he doesn't have to wear a cone though. My dogs have always been so miserable whenever they have had one.
ReplyDeleteI recently decided I'd really have to stop buying flowers and am struggling with small garden offerings too. They along with foraged flowers are pretty and sweet (I love the term tussie mussie!) but just don't have quite the same impact. Enjoy your trip to the florist! Juliex
Oh no! I am glad it wasn't more serious, but still, poor puppy and poor you. I have never heard of Euphorbia latex. I am off to Google it...
ReplyDeleteOh dear, I was thinking of you at the beach yesterday too! Hope Fin and hands heal quickly and whilst your flowers for free are absolutely beautiful, I do understand the need for a big beautiful bunch. I am Mrs. Lily personified - can't get enough of that heady scent. Allium is good too. Spoil yourself, you deserve it - specially if it's a Wednesday.
ReplyDeleteAxxx
So sorry about your scuppered weekend plans. Go for big and bold in the flower department just to ring the changes! I love small posies of flowers but sometimes one's mood needs something bigger and more flamboyant. Hope Finn heals up quickly and that your hands are OK - scary stuff! E x
ReplyDeleteoh dear! Hope everything cheers up and gets better! x Maggie x
ReplyDeleteOh no! Poor Finn! Hope things get better for you - and that you find your flowers.....
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Carly
x
Poor Baby, I hope he is all healed up very quickly.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Meredith
So sorry your weekend didn't go to plan. Poor Fin I hope he makes a quick recovery and is good and doesn't have to wear the cone of shame. Our dog Daisy has sensitive skin and we have to put it on occasionally she hates it.
ReplyDeleteEuphorbia is lovely but can be so nasty when cut some varietys seem worse than others.You deserve a lovely branch of flowers I hope you will show us what you bought.
Sarah x
I hope you and your dog are both feeling better. Take care!
ReplyDeleteMadelief x
oh poor puppy and poor you. take care, heal soon. and buy dahlias! xxx
ReplyDeleteAnnie dear you're not in the wars again!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHope those hands heal soon and give poor Finn a big hug from me.
And yes do go buy yourself a big bunch of flowers although those buttercups and mint do look pretty!
Vivienne x
Don't want to make you jealous but I have spectacular white gladioli right next to me as I write. They are not subtle.
ReplyDeleteI would choose sunflowers!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry about your washed out summer - we had one of those last year - no fun at all!!! At least you aren't in any danger of wildfires (lol)
My week end was nothing special either, but it didn't include vets and I am grateful for that. When I have to go to the vet i am always way more scared than the pet who's being visited.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the shout out!
Poor Finn, hope he's on the mend. Made me smile when you mentioned the "cone of shame"! Our poor dog had to wear one as a pup and he hated it - kept bumping into everything, such a shame!
ReplyDeleteHope you've recovered too, sounds nasty.
Our garden hasnt been up to much on the flower front this year either, except the good old reliable hydrangeas!
Gill xx
Poor puppers, and poor you!
ReplyDeleteI'm with Kimmie; it is virtually impossible not to beam with utter joy while gazing at a cluster of sunflowers.
xox
So sorry to hear about your dog; hope all is improving. We have a puggle named Finn!
ReplyDeleteOh dear, poor Finn and poor you, Annie. Hope you're both recovering well. I love flowers, but very rarely have them in the house as my husband so hates seeing cut flowers. I go for flowering house plants instead.
ReplyDeleteOh, dahlias, I love 'em. But they never seem to appear in the shops here. So I bought myself a bunch of gorgeously peach coloured gerberas the other day.
ReplyDeleteOh no, poor Finn!! And your hands have taken another beating again too!! Well if you are going to a proper florist then I would have to get something special. How could you resist Roses? Peonies are my favourites. Love dahlias too though. The only thing in my garden at the moment are daffodils but they are super cheerful. I wonder what you got then??
ReplyDeleteI feel like I've been away from the computer for ages and I see that I've missed a whole heap of news from your end. But there's no time to catch up today as a not-so-small-boy is demanding my attention but I wanted to pop in and say hello. Hope you're enjoying your store-bought flower treat x
ReplyDeleteWell I think your little posy of buttercups is pretty but I can totally understand your need for a little more flower power in your home. At this time of year I choose sunflowers. They are just so, well, sunny, and yellow and tall, and fill a big jug gracefully.
ReplyDeleteps none of my dahlias have flowered. Sulk. xx