It seems to have been an especially long wait this year. This, for example, was my studio yesterday morning.
In case you’ve been wondering why I’ve been so quiet these past few weeks it’s not, unfortunately, because I’m on a tropical beach somewhere. For most 2019 thus far you could find me in my living room, wrapped in a quilt and reading a large pile of books or watching Netflix. Not that you would want to find me — a Gollum-like coughing, sneezing and whinging creature.
If you read my New Year’s Eve blog, you know that cold/cough number one came as a Christmas gift and lingered over New Year and into early January.
For a couple of weeks later in January, things were looking up.
It was faux spring (better known as Fool’s Spring.) Flowers were blooming in the garden and I felt much better. “Ha, this winter’s going to be a doddle,” I may have thought to myself in a moment of jaunty optimism.
This is why it’s called Fool’s Spring.
The February snow arrived in drifts, burying any upstart flowers.
Along with the snow came the second, even worse, version of the dreaded lurgy. With maximum inconvenience, it struck the evening before my Valentine’s Day studio sale. My husband was even sicker than me, so it fell to my lovely and competent kids to run the show.
For part of February I was too sick to do anything at all. Since lying down made me cough more, I spent hours watching the BBC’s gardening guru, Monty Don, helping people to transform their rubble-filled backyards into replicas of the gardens at Versailles. We also toured the gardens of Italy together, which was very nice.
In between Netflix, I read a lot of books, mostly novels.
When the Christmas book bonanza ran out, I started downloading the Inspector Gamache mysteries to my iPad. They’re set in rural Quebec and I’ve been enjoying them, but after binge reading four in a row, it might be time for a change.
A bonus to being sick was that Edgar, at 9 years old, has finally condescended to sit on my lap. He’s been lap-phobic since we’ve had him, but suddenly this winter, perhaps because I was generally covered in a camouflaging quilt and immobile for days on end, he decided to throw caution to the wind. We both love this new arrangement.
I’ve mostly stopped coughing now, but I have the speaking voice of a chipmunk and about 40% of my usual energy.
On most days recently I’ve been able to get out for short walks with the dog. They’re slow walks but I’m at least able to see glimpses of the real world and keep up with the latest in the crow-munity.
Still winter woolly weather out there.
From the weather forecast, and from signs I’ve seen on my walks, it seems as if spring (or at least a second Fool’s Spring) is just around the corner. I’m hoping that it will bring with it some more energy for me, and a few touches of colour in the landscape.
See tomorrow’s post for actual Signs of Spring.
Sorry to hear you have been so low. In spite of feeling at 40% energy level your keen and ever observant mind and voice is still evident in your writing. Love reading your musings. Best wishes for spring health.
Thanks, Diane. I do believe I’m on the mend. Don’t want to sound too confident though, in case the evil bug hears me. 😉
Love your blogs, June! They always give me a chuckle. No matter how sick you are you always bring joy to everyone on your path. Thanks for making the world a happier place! May you feel better soon and be able again to create the wonderful work that you do!
Thanks so much Jackie!!
Aw, Edgar, you’re a good kitty, looking after Mum! Get well as soon as possible June!
Thanks, Lynn. And yes, he is a very good kitty. And the dog has been very comforting also. 🙂
Here’s hoping you “spring” into good health with leaps and bounds and soon be back to your old self! By the way, how did you like “Unsheltered”? I have not read it yet but very much admire the works of Barbara Kingsolver.
Thanks, Judy. And I loved Unsheltered. It’s two parallel stories taking place in the same US small town. One story is set just before the last US election and the other is set around the time that Darwin first put forward the theory of evolution. The linking factors to the story are shelter, family, security and belief systems. Very good, but then I do love all her books.
That was a bad bout going round but I hope you are nearing the end and will be ready to enjoy the fabulous Spring we are going to have😄. Reading one of Louise Penny’s Gamache books now. Great readers are we. Had Netflix 2 years and only watched The Crown🤭 Be well.
Thanks, Shari. I’ve just discovered the Gamache series so luckily they’re so old they’re only $3.99 to buy as e-books! I think I’ve got dozens to go to catch up, but hopefully I’ll be better and out and about soon so I’ll be able to take a Louise Penny break!
Oh no! That’s my sort of cold you’ve had! The Death Take Me Now sort….. eventually it passes, but I found a course of vitamins and minerals plus everything else supposed to be good for me did actually seem to build my resistance, and the DTMN colds haven’t been back so often. Also, for that horrible exhausting cough, here’s a tip another blogger gave me: sipping pineapple juice really works. Stops the coughing very quickly. And I’d prescribe as much sympathy and TLC as you can muster…. I think of you often, as I’ve just moved to a new house where there are many, many crows, and I need to delve into your archives to learn about them. All I know so far is that they are very noisy, seem to squeal excitedly en route to the nest-to-be when they have a fine twig to contribute, and wake up much earlier than the other birds!
That’s a great name for it — the DTMN virus. If the cough comes back I’m definitely going to try the pineapple juice. It will taste a million times better than the effective but disgusting Buckley’s cough syrup Ive been gulping down. Good luck with your new corvid neighbours. They do like to start their days early! You will also find all kinds of great crow information on Kaeli Swift’s blog corvidresearch.com She’s just finished her PhD on crows and studied with John Marzluff, crow scientist and author of some great crow books at Washington State university.
Dear June,
Love your stories. You are an amazing writer. Not having seen them in a while I suspected you were not well. Glad you are on the way to recuperate. Best wishes. Hope those crows, Edgar, and other critters do their therapy for you.
Be well,
Ellen
Thanks so much Ellen. 🙂
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Hope you feel better SOON! I’ve been fighting my own version of this (though for not as long). It’s a nasty one. Take good care!
Thanks, Sydney — you too. It is a particularly tenacious and sneaky little virus. You feel better one day and think you’re winning but the next day your down and out again. I’ve had a couple of good days in a row now, so feeling (perhaps foolishly) optimistic. 😏 Recommend rest, lots of liquids and steaming with eucalyptus. Take care.
Good morning June,
I certainly hope you are getting into the “I’m feeling better, finally!” mode.
First of all, thank you, thank you, for your wonderful nature blog.
I appreciate and thoroughly enjoy every part of it.
Secondly, if you have not read ‘The Alice Network’ by Kate Quinn, you must must read it!
This is a great story. I’ve got all my pals reading it. Derek, my husband, has listened to it
on audiobook in his truck.
“A ring of daring female spies known as The Alice Network left a legacy of blood and betrayal.
Two women suffering the losses of two different wars must join forces, one to find her voice
and her redemption, the other to face her fears and her oldest enemy. Kate Quinn strums
the chords of every human emotion with two storylines that race over continents and through
decades to converge in one explosive ending.”
-Marci Jefferson, author of Enchantress of Paris
Kate Quinn has written other historic novels which I have not read.
The Empress of Rome Series and The Borgia Chronicles.
However, good news!
Kate has released her next novel, which just came out in February.
It is called ‘The Huntress’.
“Prepare to be spellbound! ‘The Huntress’ masterfully draws you in and doesn’t let you go.
Another brilliant work of historical fiction by the incomparable Kate Quinn.”
– Susan Meissner, author of As Bright as Heaven
I reserved this new book from the library and have just started reading it.
I know I will enjoy it as much as ‘The Alice Network’.
Feel better real soon, June.
Best,
Michelle Bell