A Study In Scarlet

Thank you for all your get well wishes for my dad and Jasmine on my last post. I'm happy to say that Jasmine is recovering well and her coronavirus test came back negative, so that's one less thing to worry about.

Unfortunately, things aren't so good for my dad. We were called into the hospital on Friday to speak to the consultant. My dad's kidney function is now at just 9% and they've been treating him for a severe kidney infection since his admission over a week ago. Although he doesn't seem to be getting any worse at the moment, he isn't getting better either and reading between the lines, I don't think they expect him to. Because of this prognosis, he's allowed one visitor each day for a period of half an hour, so at least both my brother and I have got to see him over the weekend. He really is very poorly and there's nothing at all we can do now but wait and see what the outcome will be.

My first poppies opened on the 28th of May. There's been a continual supply since then, with at least one or two new flowers opening daily, which is good as the blooms don't last long at all, especially in the rain we've had over the weekend. The plant is heaving with buds, still lots more colour to come. They're such a happy, blousy plant, the show-off of the border. I can't resist getting my camera out, though the colour is never really replicated in a photograph. Nevertheless, here's a few I took when those first buds opened.

This is poppy Brilliant. I love the purple coloured poppies, Patty's Plum and Plum Pudding, I'd love one of those next.