Something Birthday to Us

 

 

29 August, 1931, a little baby boy was born. My dad.

Exactly 24 years later, a little baby girl was born. Me. (Held by my grandmother in the picture.)

It’s not always a barrel of laughs sharing your birthday with another family member. Growing up, I very rarely got to have a birthday party “of my own”, with friends. (For relatives, the “two for one” was probably practical.) In my 20s and 30s, when I did not live in the same town as my parents, I made up for it with quite a few birthday parties with friends, no family (the family celebrations often held either before or after the actual day). At 40 I had my only really big party (about 40 people), including both family and friends. At 50, I went away to celebrate with a few old friends.

Had circumstances been different, I might have tried to make a bit more of turning 55 - also being born in 1955.

Circumstances being what they are, however…

First I allowed myself a very lazy morning. I did not get up (properly) until noon! This was not really because I felt all miserable, but spoiling myself.

Then I went out and bought myself a big bouquet of flowers and enjoyed that while I ate my lunch (which in itself was not all that special).

Then I split the bouquet in half, and in the mid afternoon took one half of it with me on a 45 min bus tour across town, to “celebrate” for an hour with dad at the short-stay nursing home (and then another bus ride home again).

I asked dad if he remembered what day it was. He said yes, but did not elaborate. (I’m not sure, I think the staff might have talked to him about it after I phoned earlier in the day.)

Anyway I suppose it was good I went to see him even if neither of us was exactly in happy birthday mood.

I tried to tell dad briefly about the moving plans, even brought him a couple of pictures of his new place. He again said “yes” but again I’m not sure how much he really takes in. Don’t know how much help photographs are either. Most of the time he sat staring out of the window. I don’t think his eyesight is very good either now. Or perhaps it is mine that isn’t! The thing is that while I see the black roof of the next building in front of some green treetops, dad seems to be seeing a lake. And of course that is really a much better view than mine! It’s just one of those reality clashes that is difficult to handle in conversation “right there and then”…

Going home on the bus, the pictures in my first photo album came to mind. Mum put the baby photo of dad in there for comparison. I’m not sure whether they took the photo of me deliberately in that position, with the old photo in mind, or if it just “happened” that way. My paternal grandfather was a good photographer (and journalist at the local newspaper).

Not to leave you with too sad an impression of my not-exactly-happy birthday, I should probably mention that five birthday cards and one parcel arrived for me before the weekend; and some phone calls have been dropping in as well. One friend even singing to me on the phone! So I’m not really feeling “forgotten”. Just too tired for partying.

Raining Today

I went out to post some snail-mail, and on my way back home I met the snail…

I didn’t even notice The One With All The Legs until I got it up on the computer screen…! (Click to enlarge…)

A flying little one going for a swim in a wet wild rose.

Just drops of water on the last two, I think…

Advent In August

You may have heard of “Christmas in July” (celebrated sometimes in the southern hemisphere, where July is the coldest month), but what about Advent in August?

I usually buy Hippeastrum (Amaryllis) plants or bulbs for Advent and Christmas, but throw the bulbs out after the holidays when the flowers are gone and the leaves start looking sad. I’ve tried some time in the past to get them to flower again but never succeeded.

Mum however used to keep hers sometimes. After she died last spring, most of the plants in the house died, since dad never remembered to water them, and the home care staff did not make that a priority either. I gradually replaced most of the living plants with fake ones just to keep up an illusion of greenery. (Since I was not there often enough to water them, either.)

Two Hippeastrum bulbs somehow managed to keep themselves alive, though. I’ve been on the verge of throwing them out, several times… But have ended up leaving them.

Apparently being watered only once a month or so over the past year has suited them just fine!

When I was at the house about 1½ week after dad had gone into hospital in July, both the bulbs had fresh green leaves.

Another 1½ week later when my aunt and uncle and I stopped by, one of the bulbs had a flower bud coming! So I took that one home with me.

Now every time I enter my kitchen, it looks like Christmas. And odd feeling, since it is summer outside! 

 

It’s A Jungle Out There…

 

… on my balcony. It’s been a hot summer, and lately also some almost tropical nights. In spite of rain last night and this morning, I still had to feed the tomato plant another big bottle of water this evening… Some sunny days I’ve had to water it two or three times! 

Cultivated “woodland” strawberries.

Furry, silky clematis seed heads.

Nasturtium flower after the rain.

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And here’s the theme song from the TV series Monk from which I stole the title:

I just finished season 7 on DVD and am about to start on the 8th and last, so if you have already seen it, please do NOT tell me how it ends!

Hot and Sunny

Saturday was the hottest day here so far this summer. I walked into town around 10 am to go to the library and one or two other errands. Putting on my movie star look again - wearing my sunglasses and a wide-brimmed white hat… ;)

In the town square there was a band playing. This is a summer tradition, every year in July some music students are employed by the town to give daily street concerts. I found a bench in the shadow so sat down for a while to rest my feet and listen. I also had ice cream in the park on my way home.

Back home I had a sandwich and ice tea for lunch – and strawberries. Too hot to cook!

In the afternoon the thermometer outside my window on the shadowy side of the flat showed 33°C (91,4 F). On the balcony a lot hotter… I had three parasols up but there were also gusts of wind coming so the one supposed to be standing on the floor kept flying off. It was on its way over to visit the next-balcony-neighbour last time I caught it! Had to take it down, obviously I can’t leave it up when I’m not sitting there. Which I can’t do in the afternoon when it’s like this, but I was hoping to protect the flowers…

Inside I have around 27°C and two fans going. Felt almost cool when I got in from outside, but not if I try to “do” something!

‘They’ say that it’s going to cool off again in a day or two, though. I hope they are right! Not much one can do about it, but I do prefer 23° rather than 33°.

Illuminated

Nasturtium leaf on my balcony.

“There are two kinds of light - the glow that illuminates, and the glare that obscures.”
~ James Thurber ~

A Nearly Perfect Summer Day

 

Lilacs (Syringa)

Lilacs for me are connected with the end of the school year, more than any other flower, ever since my childhood. (Because they usually bloom around this time.)

Today was a perfect summer day for all students celebrating the end of the school year and the start of their summer holidays: The sun shining all day from a clear blue sky, and still not too hot – just over 20°C, and with a nice fresh summer breeze.

Before noon I walked into town to get some groceries. When I got home (by bus, because of then having things to carry) I made a salad for lunch and was able to eat it sitting outside on the balcony. In fact I spent most of the afternoon on the balcony, reading, doing a soduko and listening to mp3/radio (using earphones).

 

 

I did not need to use my mp3-player all the time to shut out noise though. It was a quiet kind of day in the neighbourhood. I was also able in between to just listen to the gulls in the sky above, and the wind rustling the leaves of the trees nearby… Relaxing summery sounds.

My clematis plant (photo taken a couple a weeks ago; the flowers are withering now)

Later on I went for short walk just “around the block” (well, a few blocks). Spring was late this year, and we’re still really only just on the verge of entering into summer. There is still a freshness about all the greenery; and a lot of trees still in bloom.

Horse Chestnut
(Aesculus Hippocastanum)

In July it will be two years since I moved to where I live now (this apartment/ building/ part of town). Last spring and early summer was somewhat chaotic, connected to the death of my mother at the end of May last year. But this spring, I’ve been able to pay a bit more attention to my surroundings. Like how many different kinds of flowering trees are actually planted in the park-like area around these apartment buildings.

Crab apple tree (Malus)

From my kitchen window, I can see a horse-chestnut tree, a rowan tree, Swedish whitebeam, and lilacs, all blossoming right now. (Plus a number of “anonymous” trees in the background.) When I go outside, there are also Japanese cherry blossom and crab apple trees, as well as tall birches and lime trees (linden) and maples; and probably several other kinds of trees that I’m not able to identify.

 

Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.
~Martin Luther~

Clematis Progress

Feels a like a miracle after the long hard winter to see my clematis on the balcony bursting out into lots and lots of flowers!

I’m even more excited because this plant has a history. Click the link to read what I wrote about it last summer.

I know I have some readers with a very keen eye for detail, so in case you wonder about the different leaves at the bottom, those are false. (One is supposed to protect the part near the roots from the sun.) And the plant on the left is a geranium which has spent the winter indoors in a window, and has just been moved out.

Spring Flowers Collage

I know that some readers of this blog also follow my photo blog – DawnTreader’s Picture Book – but in case you are among those who don’t, I’m taking the opportunity to remind you of it’s existence.

The collage of early spring flowers above is a “summary” of more detailed pictures and facts I’ve been sharing in the Picture Book this week, starting with the post Springtime at the Old Mill on Tuesday 4 May.

Seeing that the individual pictures get very small in a collage, here they are again:

 
 
 
  
 

Focus

Sometimes the camera and I don’t quite share the same idea about focus. My idea was to have the close-up flowers sharp, and the background blurry. The camera had a different opinion. Anyway, spring is coming along, even if slowly. This was three days ago. Since then it has just been getting colder again. +6°C and rain today… brrr…

 

Sharing Life

Forsythia

Heather in her post “Sharing Life” yesterday asked three questions:

1. What are your favorite fragrant flowers to pick and gather into your home?

Sorry to say, I cannot have fragrant flowers indoors because I’m allergic. I do have flowering plants indoors, for the joy of the eye - but only the kinds that do not give off much fragrance or pollen.

Begonias and African Violets
in my kitchen window

2. What sounds bring joy to your heart?

Sounds of running water and birds greeting spring after a long, hard winter.

3. Tell me something that you once thought and have now learned differently about.

What comes to mind just now is only the very general statement that when I was young, I thought life would get easier as I got older. It’s a long time since I grew out of that belief.

Surprise

One of our earliest and most beloved wild spring flowers is the Hepatica. It is not all that common, in some parts of Sweden it is under a special protection law (i.e. you're not allowed to pick it). You usually have to go to special places in the countryside to find it; it doesn't grow just anywhere. So I was pleasantly surprised to find it growing in a spot next to a stone wall in a cemeterery in town that I was walking across the other day. (Not planted on a grave; although I suppose it might have spread from a plant someone brought some time).

Spring Is Here

There are more and more signs of spring. I can’t remember the name of these blue flowers (in any language) – I think they’re some kind of runaway garden flower rather than properly “wild”. I found them in a small grove close to some apartment buildings yesterday, together with mini daffodils…

… and some more Small Tortoiseshell butterflies…

It’s good to see them back!

Sorry the pictures are a little blurry, I’m not terribly good at bending down to the ground and holding my camera completely still at the same time…!

Another sign of spring is the sound of the gulls. I live an hour’s drive (or so) away from the coast, but they follow the river (I suppose) in the spring and come inland. Yesterday afternoon, I sat for a little while in the sun on my balcony… Closing my eyes, hearing the gulls, I get the feeling of being by the sea… I also see them circling in the sky high above me, but no use trying to catch them with my camera from that distance. 

There is definitely life in my clematis plant on the balcony – the buds are swelling. But the box of garden strawberry plants seemed to have given up.  (I’ve had that box for years without being able to add any new soil, and this winter was extremely cold.) So I’ve got rid of that now.

Wildlife, Birds and Flowers

I got some "complaints" [hi, Ginny ;)] about yesterday's tourist advice. Seems I forgot to mention that we also have wildlife, birds and flowers! One reason for leaving those out was of course that the Tourist-to-be did not ask about them (only about biking, swimming and dancing). Another reason is that wildlife, birds and flowers can be found all over the country; so without narrowing it down a bit it's rather hard to recommend exactly where to go to find them!

But if you're looking for elks, for example, a deep forest would be a much better choice than a seaside resort. Myself, I prefer the zoo. Saves you a lot of trouble and monotonous tree-watching!

I'm afraid I'm not much of a bird-watcher either, and neither is my camera. I think I made some guess about what kind of bird this was when I took the photo, but by now I've forgotten!

Do butterflies in a town park count as wildlife?

Peacock butterfly (Inachis io) on Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)

Chamerion angustifolium grows wild all over the country in the summer. From ever-obliging Wikipedia I learn that in English it's called Fireweed or Rosebay Willowherb. One of its names in Swedish would translate "navvy rose" because they are very common along the railways.

(Without the blessings of Wikipedia, by the way, I would not know much about anything.)