Before you read much more be warned that The Hostess is feeling a wee bit GRUMPY
you may even want to click away and go read another blog and I don't blame you at all...
Look away from the computer screen...
Last Sunday two hornets stung me on my right hand...
Mr. HB drove me to the clinic as the swelling was immediate and then the redness starting going up my arm almost to my elbow.
Three days later I am still puffed up like a balloon.
Itchy, hot and the worst thing is that I need to take antihistamines to try to control the reaction.
I've iced it and put a soothing salve to help calm the itch
but I don't feel much like doing anything else...
So instead of gardening today I took some pictures to share with you.
Our birdbath has seen better days
the concrete is falling apart so we popped a flat pottery dish on top to keep the water in
the birds are very thirsty and I am trying to do my bit so I have a few spots where they can drink.
Some annuals for instant colour to perk up the patio extension...
The Garden Shed
we have left the grass to go brown as we are very aware of the water situation
and with this drought we all need to do our best to conserve.
"Grampa's Peas" are ready.
We'll have to pick a bag and deliver them to Isla and Henry so they can taste garden fresh peas.
fragrant sweet peas
Abraham Darby, a David Austin Rose
Onions
Hosta ~ White Astilbe ~ Bleeding Heart
the name of this plant escapes me...
I have a foggy brain with these antihistamines...
I'm so grateful
that the exterminator was able to stop by and take care of the hornets nest
he had to gear up in a white suit, mask and a hat with mesh netting.
He needed to cut away some of the clematis as the nest was secured to the fence behind many many branches.
He sprayed the nest and then knocked it down before sealing it in a bag and taking it away.
I hope they don't decide to rebuild...
my little vintage French chair and table are right beside the fence just a few meters away...
we want to feel safe when we are outside in the garden and I certainly don't want the grand children getting stung.
Here's my new weapon for wasps and hornets...
and now that the pity party is over
I'd like to share with you a blogger who will confirm that the attitude of gratitude is alive and well...
meet Ellie who lives in Paris and has serious health issues (ALS) but it does not prevent her from living life to the fullest.
Go and visit her blog and say hi...
you'll be amazed by her strength and creativity.
I challenge you to share random acts of kindness...
I'd love it if you could report back on the things that you did....
I think we can all benefit and be inspired to make our communities a better place to live one random act at a time.
Happy Canada Day!
17 comments:
Your shed looks beautiful, all weathered in the brown lawn. I am sorry the sting has been so awful - I think you have every right to be cranky.
Happy Canada day from Sicily!
Miserable insect stings. We have wasps in Texas that are mean As they come. I got stung last year in my very small front garden. I still have a scar at the site of the sting. Makes me a reluctant gardener:(
I agree with Lisa. Go ahead and indulge those grumpies. If there were ever an occasion. . . did the doctor advise you to arm yourself with an epi pen for future bites? It looks as if your anti-immune system really ramped up this time. Between that and the heat and the antihistamines, I hope you're getting lots of rest and perhaps some pampering as well. Take care! (and I so much admire @ellieod's attitude as well, having followed her blog for a while)
Oh, your poor hand! Glad you got that nest taken care of! Your flowers are lovely - and I am craving fresh peas from the garden. Happy Canada Day!
Yikes - I get like that from stings or even mosquito bites. It really is a systemic reaction so I'm not surprised you're grumpy and under the weather. I love your sweet peas - might try to grow some next summer. Feel better.
Oh my...bless you! I think you deserve to be a bit grumpy. Your flowers and veggies are fabulous. I love your new weapon. R. brought a similar one home. He thinks it is great. I hope the swelling goes down soon. Hugs!
Sorry to hear about the sting, sounds quite painful. Hope you're feeling better soon.
Lovely garden pictures.
What a terrible sting! I hope you are better very quickly. As always, I love seeing photos from your garden. And, a belated Happy Canada Day!
We had a problem with wasps and yellow jackets around our deck a few years ago (in Ontario), and I found a fake paper nest that acts as a deterrent - you hang it where the wasps previously built and they move along to somewhere else because they think that spot's taken. I've seen them for sale at Lee Valley and also at Dollarama - probably not the same quality, but perhaps worth a try? I've had mine hanging in a sheltered corner under the eaves for a couple of years and it seems to be working, and I'm happy that it's a low-tech, environmentally friendly solution. Hope you recover from your stings soon - it's already too hot in BC to add more discomfort to the mix!
I'm so sorry you have had such a horrible reaction to those wasp bites. To be honest, I'm afraid of the things and tend to panic if there's one nearby. Did the doctor prescribe an EpiPen? After such a bad reaction it might be a good idea to have one around. Also, have you seen the fake wasp nests you can hang up in your yard? Wasps are territorial, so if they see it the idea is they will go somewhere else to build a nest. It might be worth a try.
Hope you get better soon!
Happy (late) Canada day, as it was July 2nd here in E way too soon, but I did fly my flag from West Cottage, so there's that. I'm so sorry you're going thru the pain of two stings. They can be dreadful things. Also sorry about your bird bath. I must tell you a happy story. Years ago I bought a super expensive concrete birdbath by a swanky company called Silvestri, and only because a friend, an architect, was doing a bulk order, but anyway, one day during renovations to our house three houses ago, my late husband dropped the garage on it and broke the bowl. I know! So I took the bottom of the bowl, you know, the piece with the hole which corresponds to the base, and had a company at the far east of Hastings st here in Van build me another, simple bowl. It's been the best decision in the world. That company is still there, but I can't remember their name right now. Now let's see, good deed. Oh yes, I gave some books and a lot of my handmade greeting cards to a friend in the village who sells them at her book stall at village market mornings for charity. Next market morning is this Saturday. I like the mornings to catch up with neighbours and village friends over a cup of tea. I must tell Elizabeth that the seedling of the Filipes Kiftsgate rose she gave me last summer is doing brilliantly. Do you know that rose? It's spectacular. Next to Jude, it's my favourite. I've been trying to get one from the rose grower in Langley but he didn't get any in this spring. Wish I could bring one back to my Vancouver garden from England.
Well, it's hard to imagine you being grumpy, but you are certainly entitled to it right now! I like Susan's suggestion of fake nests.....sounds like a really good solution. As for doing good things? I need to work on that. We (meaning me) can get absorbed in job hunting, routine, and so on, but there is always time to do a kind act. Hope you're feeling better very soon.
If this is "grumpy," I'd like to see you on a "nasty" day. You really are an amateur at grumpiness. Trust me on that. You clearly just have too sunny a nature to do justice to grumpy. Sorry, but you really don't qualify. I can, however, give you a list of people who do, should you be interested.
Cheers, M-T
Ouch!! I hope that hand is now back to sensible proportions. On the bright side, everything in the garden is looking just fabulous. The white rose is absolutely beautiful. I too have started picking peas - a lot of them go straight into my mouth! (Impossible to feel grumpy with a mouthful of home-grown peas!)
Lucky you didn't have a worse reaction. The more times you get stung in your life; the greater the risk of anaphylaxis.
I love bees and never feared wasps and yellow jackets; but sure take them seriously, after witnessing our property manager experiencing anaphylaxis. it was the most frightening experience on my life.
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