Sickness Is Boredom

I've been sick with a cold and sinus infection for about 6 days now. Friday's visit to the doctor granted me the antibiotics I need to get this behind me. My job ensures that the sickness will linger, because I cannot take off to recuperate. It's finals, students are streaming in like fast- moving zombies. Working with students is a little like having 50 kids -you keep hearing your name called out while you are busy with something or someone else. They hover until you focus on their problem. You're doing the same thing all day, and it beings to seem incomprehensible that students are unprepared. I do not gripe at any teacher who needs their summers off. You need it to restore your balance after having so much need directed toward you. I wish I had the same opportunity, though, my chair just informed me that I will have to work until August 12.

I was supposed to travel out to my mom's today for mother's day. Instead, I'm staying in, getting that last bit of respite before I have to go back to work tomorrow. It will be 10 hours with the students tomorrow and Wednesday. Worse yet, we will have double the need both days because a student worker inadvertently signed up two students for every machine. We're in for it. The chaos will, I hope, not stress me out to the point of sickness re-constituting itself. Two weeks to go. Two weeks to go.

It seems a nice day out today, despite the wind. After some chicken soup (thankyou Betsy), I will step out and look at the garden. I need to get out of the house, off the couch. Sickness is boredom of the mind and body -even food becomes tasteless.

The growing conditions have been such that everything has been getting rather out of hand. I will need to get my hand back in there, with the pruner, with the twine.

All too many plants and way out of control. Spiderwort, two types of lilies, phlox, three kinds of aster, rudbeckia, sidalcea, and daylilies in this image. Asters will need to be roped-in and cut back. Lilies will need to be straightened up. When summer heat and humidity comes, this population density may turn into disease and decline.

I hacked the knockout rose hard, but it is hard to knock out. Coming back with vengeance.

'New Dawn' is beginning to bloom.

This year it is a monster, way too heavy for its skimpy trellis.

The honeysuckle is blooming, way on top of the rose. It lived here before the rose was plunked down, and has managed to hang on above the rose. I'd move it if I could get to it.

Grandma's tea is blooming more than ever, longer-lived flowers for these cooler days.

Please help me ID this probable weed. I imagine it gets little white and yellow ray flowers. I let it get huge this year, sucker that I am waiting to find out what it is. Gray-green stems, no prickers, upright habit.

Sad-sackery. The tomato seedlings got neglected due to my sickness. I went out today and there they were -all wilty. Watered them and put them in front of the pinks.

The yarrow is about to pop and, as always, is taking up more and more space. Needs to be tied up.