Wednesday, June 1, 2016

A New Day, A New Month

Good morning Friends ~ June 1st ~ Wow, summer is here, it is the start of ‘dreaded’ hurricane season too.

Thank you all for your comments, tips and encouragement on my last post.  Much appreciated.

I am very disappointed in my new glasses. They are progressive lenses, which I had before, but I can barely read with them, certainly not in bed at night before sleep.  When I first put them on at the optical center, I couldn’t believe it. The distance part brought everything in the center too up close and personal and made me feel ill right away, and the reading was almost like a double image.  The young lady said to give the glasses a couple of weeks, so that’s what I’m doing, but I am NOT a happy camper at all. Buying these cost me more than what I get in my small monthly ss check. Needless to say, I’ve been discouraged and depressed over this issue.  I’ll be going back to them next week to tell them my not so good news for them.

As to my painful heels, some days are better than others. But all in all, I think they are better.  Healing takes time.

I work in my gardens between 1-2 hours each morning, or as long as my feet let me. I’ve made the secret garden into more of a butterfly garden than it was. I’ve seen as many as 4 different kinds in there and others around the property. Sunday morning after the church service, one young lady came up to me carrying a plastic container and asked me if I was interested in butterflies. I said yes, and she gave me the container with a chrysallis of a Polydamas Swallowtail hanging from the inside lid.

I have it sitting in here in my space. It should emerge from the chrysallis in about 2 weeks. The instructions on the side of container said to let the new butterfly rest in container for about 15 hours, then say a prayer and release it in your gardens.

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A little while later I found out that she is the one starting a small group about butterfly gardening and that she works at ‘Butterfly World’ and is very knowledgeable about butterflies. She said she has 40 varieties in her own gardens.

I look forward to visiting her gardens, learning more and being inspired.  I’ll keep you posted on what I learn when this small group starts up. This is all exciting to me, especially just after starting to make my secret garden into more of a butterfly garden.

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Below is another favorite scented flower. This is ‘Grand Duke’ jasmine.  It is heavenly.

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This is a sweet iris that always makes me smile when it blooms.

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Here are 4 different flowers growing happily together. Frangipani, Spicy Jatropha, trumpet vine, and Miss Joachim vanda orchid.

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Whirling Butterflies - Guara

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Orange Jessamine - Murraya paniculata

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Pink Hibiscus

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Roses = Barnhouse, International Herald Tribune, Kathleen, Mozart, and an unknown red.

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Well, it’s time to get up and get going. I’ve got to rake up some trimmings from yesterday, and get the sprinkler going as it is one of my three days to use the sprinkler.

I am reading a fiction book, ‘The Amythest Heart’. A quote I read last night really touched my heart being a widow. The main character in the story is a widow, and her granddaughter had asked her if she ever got over losing her husband. Her reply was this:

“When love is real, you don’t ‘get over’ it at all.

It stays with you forever,

expanding your heart

and

enabling you to love others more deeply. 

Love is a gift, a grace.”

Love & hugs from Plum Cottage gardens ~ FlowerLady

17 comments:

Sallysmom said...

Tell them your glasses aren't right. The same thing happened to me last month. The doctor made good on them. They said the center point was off.

Diana Studer said...

Your Iris is a South African Dietes.

My husband has battled thru 3 sets of lenses in recent months ... but finally his glasses are good. After years of battling.

Recycled Cottage & Garden said...

I love seeing all your flowers. So many things I grew in Houston will not grow here in N Central TX. But guara will! I got several of them last year and they were very happy plants. We are on the Monarch trail so I need to get some dill & fennel planted for next year. I did lots of wild flowers in the front yard and the butterflies & bees have been very happy with them.

Morning's Minion said...

I agree that you must hold the optical center accountable for better fitting glasses. The cost of prescription lenses is truly discouraging and especially when we are on SS.
What a lovely quirky iris. I hope you will become involved with butterfly gardens and share the beauties with us.

Leslie Kimel said...

When I got my first pair of glasses with Progressive lenses, I had to take them back. They made me feel dizzy and sick to my stomach. I could not see. (And I was very upset because the glasses cost $700.) But in the end the doctor fixed them and I was very happy with my glasses. So definitely go back to the doctor--he can help you.

Your gardens sure are looking pretty. And the butterfly gardening group sounds like so much fun--I can't wait to hear more about it.

Janice said...


So many beautiful blooms! I love your Orange Jessamine, but it's too tropical for my zone.
Looking forward to seeing your butterfly emerge, and I'm sure it will be happy when it lands in your garden.
I've had the same problem with my progressive lenses before and they eventually had to replace the lenses...they always want you to try them for a while. _Janice

Jane said...

Hope you have an easy time exchanges your glasses, Rainey. Beautiful flowers as always. Looks like it's going to be a good year for flowers here.

Hugs
Jane

Melanie said...

I hear you on the problems with progressive lenses. I got new glasses in Feb and even though I'm not new to progressive lenses either, I'm having a hard time with these new ones. Distance is blurry for me. I went back to the place where I got them and they tested them against my prescription, took measurements, etc. and everything is as the doctor prescribed. So it makes me wonder if the doctor was wrong or if my vision had changed in less than a year?! Like you, makes me mad though because these were verry expensive glasses.

Your gardens are so lush and beautiful. How cool that you got a butterfly that you get to see emerge and then release!

Maryann said...

I *feel your pain* adjusting to new lenses. I wear contacts and they changed my script last week, I was feeling so out of sorts with the change that I gave in and went back to my glasses which had my old script. Back today with another adjustment and another trial pair. I hate to commit to anything because of the cost. I have to get new glasses as well because eyes had changed so much. Hoping these work and you can get yours right too

Ruth Hiebert said...

For sure,take those glasses back.Glasses need to be perfect for your eyes,after all that's what you paid for.Love your flowers.The butterfly garden and group sound interesting.

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

RAINEY!!! DON'T WAIT !!! Take those glasses BACK NOW. You do not have to give it a few weeks. If they aren't right..take them back. The same thing happened to me last year when I got new glasses. My sunglasses were fine, but my daily glasses were just not right. No sense to suffer. Lecture over.

I always enjoy seeing your flowers. We had a Butterfly Bush before we revamped the pond area. I had so many butterfies you would NOT believe it. We couldn't count them all!! They are lovely to watch and very relaxing.

Much love...not go ditch those glasses!!
xx, Carol

Debbie - Mountain Mama said...

Sorry you hate your new glasses - I tried progressive lenses a few years back and could never get used to them. They eventually sat in their case while I used cheap glasses from the drugstore! Lovely flowers, and I look forward to seeing that butterfly emerge.

Mrs. E said...

Do not let them get away with not putting you in proper eye wear! It is too expensive and too miserable when your glasses (or contacts!) are wrong. I love the idea of a butterfly garden. Can't wait to hear of your results!

Jessica Jarrell said...

I was sorry to read about your glasses, how disappointing! It just seems to me there should be something that works better for you out there. I love reading at night before bed, I can't imagine not being able to do that. I hope things improve in the glasses department.

I love butterflies too. I'm trying to add more and more plants that attract butterflies, and I'm noticing more and more to the yard. I love it! I hope yours does ok in the jar.

I loved the quote from your book as well. Beautiful. Hope you have a great day FlowerLady! :-)

Celestina Marie said...

Oh your garden flowers are lovely and how wonderful to start a butterfly garden. So nice of the church friend to give you one to begin.
So sorry to read about the glasses. I know how frustrating it is to feel sick with new glasses. That happened to me and turned out, I was in the wrong strength lenses and once changed I was good.
So glad your heels are doing better.
The book sounds beautiful and that quote is lovely. I totally agree.
Have a nice weekend and Happy June! Blessings

Deborah Montgomery said...

Lovely flowers. I believe many of them are used in perfumes. So your garden must smell wonderful. How great to have a "butterfly friend." My children and I had a monarch crysalis once, and it was a great experience to have it hatch and then to transfer it outside to some milkweed.

BeachGypsy said...

I just love your pretty flowers! And so many of those are new to me....so I sure like it when you tell what they are, I love learning about new ones. Glad your heels are some better! I know how painful that is. Mine eventually just got better. After I got out of flip-flops and flat sandals and started doing the exercises. They haven't flared up in a long time. I think you must've been given somebody's elses glasses!! LOL Sure hope they straighten that out for you....YOU DO NEED TO SEE. Plus they cost alot. So good luck with that. Isnt that so so so amazing how you were making a butterfly garden and then along comes somebody and gives you one!!?? What is the word for that....serendipity? It was meant to be.