I picked twelve empty stalks from the Spanish poppies today – the season’s total so far. There are five more in bloom today and they seem to have lasted better than most of the blooms do. I think one or two must have lasted two days now. late last summer we were lucky if they lasted six hours. I must monitor that this year and see if they follow the same pattern.
The Welsh poppy is looking good, and has a number of buds ready to take over the job of flowering. I’m not sure how long they last, but have always thought of them as quite tough. Again, I will have a chance to observe. I must make sure I end the season with enough seeds to ensure it spreads.
Meanwhile, having resisted sarcasm yesterday, I couldn’t hold it back this afternoon on the shop. There was an incident earlier in the week where one of my co-workers was, I thought, rather wasteful with some packaging. Well, today he excelled himself. Twelve items, twelve plastic sleeves. Then a board backed envelope and then two pieces of card. I maintained silence. I am, after all, just a cog in the machine. Then the printer started. He was printing three sheets of paper with screenshots of the goods he was packing. He could simply have put Banknotes (12) on a compliments slip but that wouldn’t have been wasteful enough for him.
“Why,” I asked, “don’t you just nuke a forest while you’re at it?”
He took offence at this.
My penultimate news is that my vaccination seems to have passed without incident. I had a slightly sore arm last night and woke up at about 6am this morning when I rolled over on it. It’s still slightly sore if I touch it, but, as I used to tell the kids when they did such things – don’t touch it.
Finally, cattails is out. I am on pages 83, 86, 118, 170, 173, 174. The last one is just a repeat of 170, which is the Editor’s Choice in the tanka prose section. Just thought I’d mention that as I slip from the page.
You, sir, are far too modest about your poetry. The two love poems to Julia were absolutely wonderful. “I become fearful and I reach for your hand.” made me tear up. Just perfect. And the funeral one with the buzzards and the compost heap – well that was amazing. AND editor’s choice! Gee whiz! Bravo you!
Thank you. As usual, you are too kind, but I will sit here and grin anyway.
Congratulations on your publication, Quercus! I am glad the vaccination has not left you with any side effects other than a sore arm. It will pass.
Thank you. It seems to have passed already. 🙂
Just like you to present your success in a throwaway line. The ruby tribute to Julia is lovely; Amongst my Uncles is a fascinating piece of family history ending with the compost heap metaphor; With “Someone, somewhere, probably looked in their bag at lunchtime, then looked again, staring at a space where a banana used to be.” the banana one is a worthy editor’s choice
Thank you Derrick. Little did I realise, as a small boy in Blackburn, that the town and the Beatles would be mentioned by an editor in relation to a poem I wrote about a banana. 🙂
Weren’t these just wonderful, Derrick?
😉
Well worth visiting all those pages as it turned out. As a banana lover, I appreciate your sensitive thoughts on the subject.
Thank you. 🙂
It was a strange thing to see, but it had been picked up by the time I returned.
Five poems – one being editor’s choice – I’m playing with the big boys now and have further to fall . . .
They were good poems. No danger of a fall if you can keep up that quality.
Thank you.
Some people say that sarcasm is the lowest form of wit but I think why don’t you nuke a forest is very clever
Thank you. 🙂
I am likely to die a lonely old man as a result of my character defects, but as I have a jaundiced view of people in general (apart from those who are related to me or read the blog) it won’t be so bad . . .