Thursday, May 19, 2016

THE GARDEN GATE AND BEYOND...









Thanks to all
 who have been so caring and concerned
 about my foot. 
 I appreciate all your kind words.
  
I do have an appointment with 
the original doctor that operated 
on Monday, May 23,
 and will hopefully have
 a definite diagnosis after that.

 In the meantime, 
I can tell you 
that I had my annual physical
 with my doctor yesterday
 and got very good news
 about my overall health,
 so I am very pleased about that.

  She looked at my foot
 and said it looks
 really good and healthy 
even though there is still 
a slight bit of swelling. 
 She seems to think 
that it isn't neuropathy 
as that seems to manifest itself
 with continuous pain 
and I am not experiencing that. 
 She thinks it might be 
scar tissue pressing on some nerves,
 but she is not a specialist
 so is glad I am seeing 
the vascular surgeon.



  
Imagine finding a butterfly that looks exactly how my tummy felt!


I had a slight attack
 of the old flu bug
 on Monday 
so have been laying low 
for the past few days. 
 The doctor said
 it is a viral thing going around
 and I am feeling much better today
 so that is the reason 
I am writing a little later this week.

Now on to the good stuff:






The flower of the moment: 
 Valerian, 
or as introduced to me by my grandmother,
 the Garden Gate flower.





It is 
what is blooming 
in the garden now,
 in great abundance,
 I might add.






I remember 
this old-fashioned and simple flower, 
from my youth,
 growing in my grandmother's garden.

  It was there 
that I learned the names of flowers, 
not by their scientific names, 
but by a fairy-tale image 
that the words
 from her lips 
conjured up.

"All the names 
I know from nurse:
Gardener's Garters, Shepherd's Purse,
Bachelor's Buttons, Lady's Smock,
And the Lady Hollyhock.

Fairy places, fairy things,
Fairy woods where the wild bee wings,
Tiny trees for tiny dames -
These must all be fairy names!"

Robert Louis Stevenson







When we first planted the garden, 
this flower was not on the landscape.

  It did grow somewhere 
in a neighbor's garden 
and the next season
 it grew in another neighbor's garden 
and following that,
 in another neighbor's garden.

 Eventually 
there were brightly colored blooms 
appearing up and down
 the neighborhood 
but the majority of them 
seem to have settled
 in the Cottage's garden, 
evidence that it is truly
 a fairy's place
 filled with 
fairy things.





I hope you enjoyed your time
 looking through 
the garden gate.


...Judy...






Join me today at:











14 comments:

  1. Judy, I read this post then went to the previous post....I am half sick...you know like a big lump in my throat or I can't breathe...I know warfarin....I was on it for 11 years. You have to watch every med you take, it may interfere with the warfarin...You can't eat too many green foods, Viamin "K" , blood clotter.I had a blood clot very young , birth control. Then In 2001 I had a foot surgery and had another blood clot, was put on warfarin forever the dr. said. Then 3 years ago, got a new dr. she took me off the warfarin, said I didn't need it as my blood clots were from outside happenings, not my body making them. I was shocked. All, I want to say is, please get to the dr. and don't be afraid to ask many questions. Glad you are seeing a vascular surgeon. Blessings, xoxo, Susie

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  2. Yes, Judy, the view through the garden gate is delightful. Good luck with the appointement. I hope the doctor can offer some solution to the pain.
    Valerian is a new flower to me. I'm off to do some research. Take care, my friend!

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  3. I am happy to read that your foot is doing better, but that you also have an appointment to make sure it is nothing serious! Also, happy to read that your general health is good too! Your tour beyond the garden gate is wonderful and I'm so thankful that I was invited to join in. Very beautiful! Blessings, Cindy xo

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  4. Dear Judy, It sounds like you've had a rough week-with the flu bug and then the issue with your foot. I'm hoping that you can find something to help with your pain. My sister had neuropathy due to chemo and it was very painful. Of course yours has a different cause, but hoping the pain eases.
    Hugs,
    Noreen

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  5. I love your Valerian and the poem by Robert Louis Stevenson. My Mom taught me the names of flowers in her garden and I, in return, have taught my daughter.
    I'm glad you're feeling better and that you got a good report from your doctor. I hope your foot problem will prove to be a minor situation. I was concerned when I didn't see a new message from you as usual on Tuesday.
    Have a beautiful weekend.
    Charlotte

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  6. Hi Judy, Glad to hear of your good news at the doctor. Hopefully you will also get some answers from the surgeon. Your garden is looking just beautiful. I never heard the name Valerian, although I have probably seen it. I am going to look into adding some to my garden. Have a great weekend!

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  7. Dear Judy:
    I loved your posting and found some familiar things such as the Flower Fairy popup book I used to sell at my shop. I loved Cicely Barker and carried all those books. The one you are showing was a great favorite!

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  8. Oh Judy, loved your post with all your pretty flowers. I have that flower also and now the neighbor hood is getting them also LOL.

    Please take care of your foot. I am on Warfarin and will be for the rest of my life. I went to a blood specialists and they found that i have the Factor V which I got from one of my parents. My blood is to thick and therefore produces clots. So I have to be careful on what I eat - can't have any dark leafie veggies or lettuces.

    I am sorry I didn't know that you were having problems with your foot. Take care and your garden is stunning.

    Hugs,
    Mary

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  9. Glad your foot is doing some better - and good report on your physical. We have always called Valerian "Meet Me By the Garden Gate" - I do love it and its whimsical way of moving around. Lovely lovely photos.

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  10. Love that flower! I've seen it before but wasn't sure of the name.. I thought it was called Verbeena.. but I was close! So glad you are going to doctor again for your foot..... and hope maybe you won't have to take the Warfarin. I think it's a very dangerous drug.. but sometimes I'm sure, necessary for certain things. Glad your overall health is so good! I really enjoyed the poem and the old garden book. Take care and feel better!

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  11. Hi Judy, sure enjoyed taking some time to catch up with you and your posts. I am so sorry to read about your foot and all that you are going through with it now. Congrats on a wonderful health update and so glad you are seeing your specialist for the foot next. Prayers all the outcome will be good and your pain subsides.
    Love your pretty garden gate flowers. They sure are gorgeous and I love the color. Your photos are amazing. You are so talented with your camera, staging and then the edits. The soft misty pics are something I love to add too. Wishing you a wonderful rest of the weekend and glad your feeling better from the flu bug too. Take good care and blessings always.,
    xo

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  12. thank you for sharing the valerian photos - am glad to see how it's really supposed to look, lol. i've grown it for some time, but it just doesn't thrive like that here in northeast ohio. then again, it could be the gardener. --suz

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  13. Thank you, Suz, but I'm sure the problem is your area as far as these pretty little flowers go, it wouldn't be the gardener, or mine wouldn't grow either. They just do what they want and look pretty doing it..Have a nice weekend..Judy

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  14. Hi Judy, I'm so sorry to hear that you were ill. But your beautiful garden would make anyone feel better. :) X, T.

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Your comments are so special to me...Judy