Back, with colour. And feet.

Green beans, almost ready to plant up in the greenhouse.
Flowers, lots of lovely flowers.
The traditional chubby feet on table knitting pics.
Sunshine.

Enjoy the sunshine!

Feeling frumpy.

I had my left wrist injected last Thursday, it seemed much more painful than when I last had my wrists done and I admit to fainting as the needle was drawn out! The Dr was lovely (the vast majority at my little hopical are fabulous), and offered to do both wrists while I was there.
In a moment of gung ho insanity I said yes - then promptly changed my mind after the first one.
As I spent the next two days with my left hand in a splint and a sling I think that was  a wise decision - the image of me with both hands in slings is too silly for words!

Today the hand is definitely easier, but gives me a sharp reminder if I use it too roughly. By 'roughly' I mean dare devil things like pegging washing out or picking up a plate.
Apparently carpal tunnel pain is common in people with rheumatoid arthritis. The joy just never ends....

Poor little bruised chubby handy! And no knitting! Noooooo!
The good old methotrexate nausea decided it wanted in on the attention too, yippee.

Moving swiftly on.
Sunshine, bucket loads of the stuff. Fabulous.
I spent a lot of Thursday and Friday sleeping off the above, but managed an hour yesterday early evening, on my bench in my teeny tiny garden. A book, some easy crochet, and a visit from Frodo who lives next door:

Definitely the best dressed cat in the street.

The garden looks pretty at the moment, despite me not giving it the attention it deserves. The yellow poppies are from seeds mum gathered from her garden last year, and just keep flowering. Beautiful.

I have gathered quite a few seed heads, and will let the rest do their own thing.
Aren't seed pods beautiful?

I love the way they are starting to open, to let those seeds out.  This makes me want to attempt a painting, one day.

Triffid duck faced nastursium.

I started cutting out A Thing, and might start sewing it one day. Might.

Subtle, eh?

Enjoy the sun.
Toodles.

Sunshine, showers, sunshine, downpours, sunshine- you get the idea.

Isn't he great!
There are two, one much smaller than the other.They run along the windowsill then on to the bird table- I love them, they seem more interested in bread than the bird food, and the birds come back as soon as the squiggles go.

Cheeky little blighters!

This is the first year I have seen fledgelings being fed at the table- the bird table- the blue tits arrive in a great flap and fluster, always en masse, like a bunch of aunties fussing around a baby. Backwards and forwards, constantly, flapping like mad things, shoving seeds and peckings from the suet balls into the littles. Fabulous.

In comparison, I have been decidedly slug like. My hands have been too bad to do much, certainly cannot knit. Thankfully most of the time I can manage some crochet, the worst pain is in my left wrist.  I am having that one injected this week, and the right the week after. You know it hurts a lot when you are actively looking forward to having a needle stuck into your wrist!

So .... crochet. I became quite obsessed with the Japanese flower (or my rather loose interpretation).

 

This is going to be a dress for me, and will either look really good or absolutely ridiculous.
Time will tell.

Whatever.
I am enjoying it.

This is not a dress, is currently languishing on the floor awaiting blocking, and is destioned to be - well, wait and see.
Not literally- my current rate of finishing things is -erm- zilch.

I have listed some sheep brooches here, after wrestling Small Bob who took a liking to them.

From Small Bob and me, enjoy the sun.

Keep on keeping on.

Beautiful, isn't it?
I LOVE pink and green  together (and poiple and green) and this plant is perfection. £4 very well spent methinks.
Hydrangeas are gorgeous, alone or en masse, like this fresh in the garden or as dried flower heads in a vase inside (fresh and green like this is best, in my opinion).

And I love these dwarf sunflowers - only a few survived, but they are so bright and cheerful.
Those centre seeds are mesmerising - come on mathematicians, you know what I am about to say don't you!
Golden Ratio, Fibonacci - go on, use your Google-fu and have a read. I like (and liked) maths (unusual apparently in someone who is definitely more English and  Arts inclined). In particular I like maths in nature, and maths puzzles, possibly because of the sheer visual beauty involved. Beautiful maths?  Oh yes, just go and have a look. Pinecones, Nautilus shells, flower petals, cauliflowers - this site has some good information.

(Maths with an s. Why is it called 'math' in America? It isn't 'mathematic', it's 'mathematics'. Edjumacate me please. While you are at it please also explain the use of  'I could care less'. The phrase is 'I couldn't care less'- otherwise it simply makes no sense at all when used in context!).

And relax.
Anyway - here is another photo of that beautiful Golden Ratio.

Yes it's a tad blurred, yes I do care, no I cannot afford a new camera.

I had to nip out armed with pink wool, and retie all the lilies, the sunfleur and the bean plants, it is howling wind here (last night was so noisy). I can  hear a plant pot (hopefully not one that has a plant in) blowing about out there so will have to go and find it, and give it a stern talking to.

Health continues to be bonkers-  was rushed from my usual infusion appointment to A&E at Jimmy's here in Leeds (no infusion, just lots of tests).  I  set off from home at 8am and returned at about 7.45PM. Long,long day, mostly sitting (and my RA was already flaring; sitting in one place for so long didn't help at  all). There's a suspicion that the Naproxen has caused a bleed in my stomach, have been really stuggling lately.
I won't go into detail but it involved many drs, consultants,nurses etc etc.
I was looked after wonderfully well, cannot fault anyone (my RA nurse in particular was superb). I was only allowed home with the promise of going staight to A&E if things got worse (theywanted to keep me in for at least three days - no thank you).

I was back on Friday for more tests, that was a 3 hour session. The RA pain is pretty bad as I have no anti-inflammatory at the moment, until they find out what's going on.

I go back on Tuesday for an endoscopy (gulp. Literally). I am not looking forward to that at all but hey ho.

Compared to what a much loved and very close family member is going through, this is nothing. I am desperately worried about them - they are very worried about me. That's just how it is.

Some  knitting is happening, on and off. Forgive the rather garish photo, the one without  the flash was the opposite and far too dark. This is for my neighbour, baby boy due at any time. More to come soon, if it works out as well as hoped I will be releasing it as a pattern. This is in el cheapo wool, StyleCraft Life (not lice as initially typed) DK, and so far so good. I do love corrugated ribbing! Two sleeves, two fronts and the beginnings of the  back are done. I can confirm that intarsia is not my strong point!
I am going to print out a fingerless mitts pattern to take with me tomorrow, not sure which  yet or what wool.

That's pretty much it for now. To sum up my brain lately, have a scary photo. I couldn't find my glasses anywhere, until I saw this in the mirror:

Piddling.

Tis piddling down outside, but warm -have just beenout to feed the birds (at 7pm, and why not). Nipped  back in  to get my camera and  really wish I could also capture the fabulous smell out there - LILLIES!

It's such a tiny garden and these are humonguous lillies, oh the scent!

Right outside the door, so wonderful  - lillies are my very favourite flowers, love love love.

As far as I remember these were just  bog standard Wilko's  bulbs, but they are pretty damned impressive.

I keep turning pots around so I can see them from the  bench - I am trying to  get a sit down in the fresh air every day where possible, it does me so much good mentally . Watching the sparrows playing / fighting /eating yesterday was great, they are so funny en masse (there are usually between 8 and about 20 together).

There's such a lot I cannot do at the moment (I crave the sea, crave walking on grass, would love to ride a bike, go hiking, go riding, would love to sew- would love to have a career again) but by hell I can sit in this little garden!

Radish  (I think).
Beetroot.
Beans.
One enormous bean and baby beans.

Lousy  picture but there is a teeeeeny baby bean to the left.

And did I mention the lillies?

Any suggestions for autumn / winter plants?

Onwards. Because the alternative ......

Things continue to be less than fabulous here - serious illness in the family and it is heartbreaking.

But also private, so bear with me.

This has been happening (when I am awake, so damned tired lately).
Nice simple skirt pattern in there, that I think will be very wearabubble over Autumn. Autumn, shudder. Stay summer stay.

With skulls.

Also a very nice Vogue pattern, but it will probably join the mini mountain of 'love but hands cannot cut out' patterns (knees  and back protest too).

NOT in those colours.

Hospital went well, finger is healed so the infusion had the go-ahead. Joy. I am possibly not in as much constant pain as I have been - had to wait ages for a taxi yesterday as it's Eid (no  drivers) and my poor knee was swollen and agony when I got home. The exhaustion side is a sod at the moment, but I suspect worry about family is partly to blame.

I am following dr's orders to  listen to my body, get fresh air, not much direct sun etc etc. The bench in the tiny garden is my little bit of calm and beauty - I know it isn't much, but I love it. I sit outside for a while nearly every day, with a book or Sid or just me. The lady who walks dogs always waves and says hello, as does blokie over the road. Peter usually comes to visit:

and offered to help me bring the washing in.

OI! Piggies only, not Peters!

Knitting is sort of happening:

more of that particular bit of knitting to come soon.

I don't seem to have done much knitting at all really, so am aiming to make a shawl with this fabulous wool sent several years ago from a lovely friend.

I keep taking knitting with me when it's hospital day but anything on straights is useless because of the  infusion -  everytime I bend my arm I set the alarm off that says the drug isn't going in. Ooops.

 

That's it really for now, so have some garden piccies -  the green bean plants are insane! I thought I was going to end up with one,  five foot  bean but the tiny baby ones have just started to grow.