time out

I have some time on my hands,

  my doctor has signed me off work for 4 weeks 

and I am under instructions to relax, 

be kind to myself and to let things wash over me. 

In the last few months

I have probably done a little too much coping,

much hiding in my work and a bit too much overtime,

 now I find that l am facing an impenetrable brick wall

So I intend to do as l am told,

enjoy without guilt some morning lay ins,

some must do walking and cycling in the evenings, 

with a rest on my favourite bench,
breathing in deeply of my surroundings

(my bike resting in Rickerby Park, Carlisle)

I have organised my paints and pastels,

bought a couple of fresh canvases

and even had a stab at a large pastel landscape

I am all signed up on courses

including Tai Chi and Shiatsu

l intend to spend many hours in my healing place,

my new secret garden

literally smelling the old roses!

Time to smell the roses...

I'm taking time to smell the roses! Literally speaking of course!

It's the first day, of my run of 19 days off, then 6 days back at work, followed by a further 9 days off. Lucky me.

Today has been a mix of

running around and trying to sit in the garden for more than 15 minutes at a time.

I have spent most of the morning with my son at hospital with the Orthodontist and most of the afternoon hanging around waiting for my car to be serviced.

Excited for me aren't you?

I love the simplicity of these daisies, they are uncomplicated and so pretty.

I'm not sure what this yellow flower is, as it was given to me soon after we moved in. Just a bunch of roots in a carrier bag, they've been fed, watered and nutured and this opened yesterday to reveal itself. A member of the daisy family I ponder and wonder!

The purple and white double petunia was a lovely surprise also, as it hasn't done what it said on the label, its sort of multi layered and all frilly, and it remnds me of raspberry ripple ice cream....Mmmm

So eventually I did sit, I did relax and I did put my feet up.

I also took pictures of some of the plants as they are pretty spectacular at the moment, nourished with a good mix of rain and sunshine.

Happy, sunny daze.....