I did a little happy dance when I saw the friendly bus go past my house yesterday for the first time since I came home from Venice.

There has been a service, much reduced and not coming as far as my house. It means such a lot to me (my eye condition means I can no longer drive). It's my independence and my link to the rest of the world and the sight of it was a symbol of the return to normal, to being able to go places!

So exciting!

Things have gone a bit flat here these last few wet and windy days..

And so did I!!

You have given me lots to think about in your comments - do give me a day or two to reply...

Yes To Life In Spite Of Everthing is the title of a Victor Frankle book I have just ordered.

As reader numbers dwindle and blog comments become fewer, I've been asking myself if I should continue blogging about candles in my greenhouse, playing music to plants, gardening and how to make iced coffee!

Is it all too trivial and self indulgent?

I found myself thinking lately of the people who lived on the south coast of England during the war who could actually hear the fighting in France as they went about their daily lives. There will be people still alive who remember that. How did they cope? They had the additional horror that people were deliberately killing each other - at least our current efforts are about saving and helping each other.

Going about my comfortable life here while witnessing the terrible distress of some people's experience of this pandemic is disturbing, but watching the news feels obligatory. Much of it now consists of speculation and accusation and I find myself talking to the screen, shouting even at world leaders who think that mass rallies in the midst of a contagious viral disease are a good idea. Oh dear.

How much to talk about it here is another dilemma.

My blog title is Live Simply, Simply Live, and my default question when in a dilemma is What  would be simplest?

Victor Frankle in Man's Search For Meaning has another good question (and I do like a good question). In this situation, what can be done?

I enjoyed this article about 12C poet Chomei, who lived in isolation and wrote a small book about his tiny home and his immediate environment. Later 'he chides himself for his vanity in writing it and puts down his pen.'

He is described as an unhappy man so maybe, in the hope that what interests me in my home and surroundings also resonates in some way with you, I will continue for now....

I will avoid pontificating on world affairs, continue to look for and delight in the good and the beautiful (my contention has always been that it would be churlish not to) and try to Simply Live, in spite of everything!

I am looking forward to that book. Have any of you read Victor Frankle?


Thank you for reading and especially  for commenting. :-)

..prettily!

The germination of my sweet peas was so poor this year that I splashed out on some expensive seedlings from Sarah Raven (I justify extravagances lately with 'Well I'm not spending on aything else these days!'

The stonking plants (a Sarah word!) were well worth the money with fabulous root systems. The foliage had yellowed a little in transit but that will sort itself out.

They are Windsor, very dark, and Prince Edward of York, a brilliant pink.

I had gone to the trouble of repainting the red canes, so I had to have something to grow up the wigwam and I hope these will look spectacular before too long. I had to shade them from the hot sun when I planted them yesterday..

I had to shade myself as well and the garden fork made an easily moved stand for the umbrella.

Two friends and I are sharing our Desert Island Discs and Lynne's second choice is my current favourite..

Perhaps because I've just seen my younger daughter for the first time in four months, and we had such a happy (and almost normal) day together. Scotland still has many lockdown restrictions in place but the worst is surely over..

I hope you have a reason to be happy today!

Barcelona Opera re-opened with a performance to over 2,200 plants.

There are shorter versions of this but I love this 8 minute one, especially when the musicians bow to their audience.

I am taking a mini blog break and leave you with some photos of the mini meadow...

Take care!

A cool moment..

Small pot of espresso

Dissolve tblsp sugar

Pur over lots of ice cubes

Add 100ml milk

Enjoy!

This is the first time I have made an iced latte

In fact it's the first time I have had an iced latte

It won't be the last.

Do you have a favourite hot weather drink?

I think if this pandemic experience has taught me anything it has taught me to be more patient.

To appreciate slow.

To take the time to do ordinary things properly.

Mindfully.

I wonder if when it is over I will speed up again?


Has coronavirus taught you anything about yourself?

In my early morning walk around the garden I try to look for what's new and beautiful..

Being joined by Jennie was new and beautiful in itself and made me very happy all day! She spotted the fritillary on the fox and cubs (Pilosella aurantiaca).

And there are two new orchids, very pale, almost white.

And more heath bedstraw (galium saxatile) than ever before, like fairy dust sprinkled on the grass.

..on adding to that list (see yesterday's post), and doing Fly Lady's Weekly Home Blessing Hour - makes such a difference!

Meanwhile the garden is at it's June best....

I am the kind of person who thrives on plans and challenges and deadlines, but as we all know it's hard to plan in a pandemic!

However Part One of my new plan  (see yesterday's post) got off to a good start this morning and gave impetus to my day. I did one round of the Wim Hof breathing method before I got up. It gives me an instant little burst of energy and is really no effort at all. I did dry skin brushing before my shower - very pleasant and I find my skin needs no creams or lotions if I do this regularly. Two routines which just make me feel good.

So, if Part One is gradually and selectively re-introducing good habits, Part Two is identifying the things which invigorate me. I got the idea from Gwendoline's comment on this recent post.

I thought if something so simple invigorated me for at least half an hour (and gave me pleasure whenever I looked at it for the rest of the day), what else could I be doing to get this feeling several times each day? In the absence of outings and meetings with friends and live music and exhibitions it will have to be more domestic, local things.  Preferably not online, wonderful though that can be. I want real rather than virtual.

Walking round the garden with that first cup of tea works on a nice morning, provided I focus on what is new and beautiful and not on the work that needs doing!

I am making a little mental list.

What would be on yours?

Painted the ceiling and baked the cake!

And made a plan of sorts..

If you have been isolated have your habits changed? Solitary confinement is the worst punishment in our penal system here in uk and I can see why!

Without inrending to or even being aware of it till now, I have dropped my routines, which I reaiise provided me with a supportive scaffolding, especially after my husband died when I was trying to rebuild an interesting life without him.

The thing is they (the good habits and routines) were not an end in themselves. During lockdown, without the interests - family, friends, travel, concerts and galleries -all the riches of my life,  they seemed a bit pointless and I gradually stopped bothering to exercise, dry body brush, Wim Hof breathe, write morning pages, do the Fly Lady tasks etc etc. It felt as though they were the means to an end that was no longer available to me, and in and of themselves were not very important. I think { was wrong.

They helped me through past crises (see this post) and can probably help me through this one. Just to consiider the ones listed above - they gave me energy, a clear mind and a clean house! Not to be sneezed at (oops, that's maybe an unfortunate term to use!).

So part one of the plan is to start tomorrow to re-introduce the most helpful of the good habits.


There are 13 posts under the category Simply Routine if you would like a browse.
 I reread them all, and the ever helpful and supportive comments. You might like this, or this, if you too want to get back on track. :-)

Part two of the plan tomorrow...

Thank you for reading.

This is my default question.

Ask What would be simplest and just do it.

So, admit I am struggling, count my blessings and keep going...

Accept.

I've just remembered this -

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

It's pretty good isn't it!

Today I will paint over the stain on the bedroom ceiling where the roof leaked, and make a coffee and walnut cake in anticipation of the exciting prospect of having actual visitors. May it be soon.

Warm virtual hugs.

X

..is creeping into my days.

Inertia, inactivity, inaction, slowness, torpor.

A pathological  state of sleepiness, or deep unresponsiveness and inactivity.

Oh dear!

What to do?

and start afresh

..where wild orchids grow. It was further up the glen than I remembered..

But there were late bluebells by Hilary's wood

And patches of bugle which isn't very common here.

Views of Craig Hoyle Far,

A nice mossy rock under an oak tree to sit and have a drink of water.

But no orchids!

Maybe because the field is being grazed, maybe I was too late, maybe I was too early. Will I walk the five miles again to check?  I'm not sure...

Here are a few quotes from Wintering by Katherine May which made me think it is a good book to read just now, in lockdown.

The subtitle is How I learned to flourish when life became frozen.

It (Winter) is a fallow period in life when you are cut off from the world...Perhaps you are in a period of transition and have temporarily fallen between two worlds... However it arrives winter is usually involuntary, lonely and deeply painful.

Experiencing illness the author says. I am also being forcibly reminded that this is some kind of a gateway into a new phase in my life...I'm worried that its about doing less, about staying home and giving up on adventures for a while. That's not something I want to learn.

That last bit so resonates with me!

Its a good read, slow paced and thoughtful, though she has an apologetic tone which, if it continues (I am at page 131 - about halfway) might get a bit irritating..



Here in Scotland a second day with no reported deaths from coronavirus gives us hope, and a garden visit from family lifted my spirits more than they know. I felt like a great weight had been lifted from me.

Hot at 9am so no hedgecutting today.  Instead I am looking for gentle tasks.

I spent a lovely half hour marking with bright pink  raffia plants I want to collect seed from -

A self sown foxglove with lovely markngs

An aquilegia of a particularly intense blue

A pink campion that is paler than the others

and a lilac aquilegia that I would like more of.

I can't be sure they will come true but it's worth a try!


On the book front I see that Karen at Cornflower Books has some recommendations under the wonderful heading of Books To Bring You Joy.

Perfect.

Well not a toy exactly...I bought a cord free, lightweight (a relative term!) hedgetrimmer which I can use five minutes at a time. I call it a toy because I like playing with clear cut shapes  against the wilder parts of the garden - getting the right balance, getting good shapes..it absorbed me - in five minute stretches - all day today. It's a bit like drawing with a giant pencil!  And quite hard work - long hot soak required now.

Nearly got a perfect circle

but only from the front..

Am loving your reading suggestions - do keep them coming!

Here are a couple of my own: The Summer Book and The Winter Book by Tove Jansson and Sightlines by Kathleen Jamie - in fact anything by these two authors whose writings I can read over and over again.

..along with comfort food are the order of the day as 40mph winds and rain give the garden, and me, a shock.

Thank you so much for your comments on yesterday's post (and for the phrase 'comfort books' PennyL!)  I am enjoying investigating the book titles and have already ordered Wintering by Katherine May - thankyou Gwendoline.

I didn't want The Salt Path to end.  It was a thoroughly good read. Raynor Winn's next book launch has been postponed sadly (see here) but will I am sure be worth waiting for.

Do share more book suggestions here - a friend has already consulted them and I am still enjoying exploring them with a view to ordering another one or two, and my book group are reading The Salt Path.

Or justt say a quick hello - there is comfort in knowing you are all okay :-)

There are often gales when the oriental poppies are out but so far they are still standing..

I have spent most of the day reading The Salt Path by Raynor Winn who knows how to tell a good story!  I have really taken to this daft couple and their rash adventure.. Poignant and laugh-out-loud funny, I've not been so entertained by a book for ages.  (Thank you Cath!)

Lots of normally avid readers are saying they are not reading during lockdown. They are finding it difficult to focus, or just can't find the right book, or are too distracted by the news.

What's your experience? And have you any recommendations?

I think I may be burning some midnight oil with this one...

It's oriental poppy time.