Wednesday 29 July 2020

The loveliest of the garden . . .





How Pansies or Hearts-Ease Came First
by Robert Herrick

Frolic virgins once there were,
Over loving, living here;
 Being here their ends denied
Ran for sweet-hearts mad, and died.
Love, in pity of their tears,
And their loss in blooming years,
For their restless here-spent hours,
Gave them hearts-ease turn’d to flowers.


The loveliest of garden flowers, well to me at any rate, is the pansy. I have always loved them, even as a child. With their gorgeous colours and imagined pretty upturned faces, it’s as if we greet a row of well-loved friends every time we stroll along the garden path.





The pansy gets its name from the French word pensée meaning "thought". It was so named because the flower resembles a human face and in August it nods forward as if deep in thought.




“And there is pansies, that’s for thoughts,” said Shakespeare’s Ophelia, for it is the emblem of love and kind thoughts. In his play “Mid-Summer Night’s Dream”, the juice of a pansy blossom ("before, milk-white, now purple with love's wound, And maidens call it love-in-idleness") is a love potion:

"the juice of it, on sleeping eyelids laid, will make a man or woman madly dote upon the next live creature that it sees."

In days gone by, if a maiden found a honey flower and a pansy left for her by an admirer, it would mean "I am thinking of our forbidden love" in symbol rather than in writing. How romantic it all seems . . .




It was once believed that an infusion of it’s leaves would cure a broken heart . . .

Pansies are known by a number of other names such as Heartsease, Two-faces-under-the-sun and Face-and-Hood. Sometimes they are called Herb Trinity, for they often have three colours and three petals to remind us of the Holy Trinity.




In flower language the pansy symbolises contentment, and that is how I feel when I gaze upon them, all contented and somehow happy inside. It’s weird how just the sight of a flower can do that to you. I don’t know how it works, I only know that it does . . . the sight of a pansy has always brought a smile to my heart.


So I have to have my blood tests repeated in three months time. I have already made the appointment.  Something to do with having th FBC repeating. Not sure what that's all about. 

I also need to lose weight and bring my cholesterol down. Everything else is okay. My sugars are good. My blood pressure also. My liver, my kidneys, etc. All good. Losing weight is the hard part and a battle I've been fighting  (and losing) since my mid to late thirties.  I can lose it alright, but then it always comes back with a vengeance, and I end up fatter.  For me, diets are un-sustainable. I need to figure out a better way.

And with that I will leave you with a thought for the day  . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~\。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ | 田田 |門 ★

 *
Happiness is not about
the trophy or the finish line.
It's the journey.  
If you can enjoy your journey,
you can enjoy your life.
~Pharrell Williams•。★★ 。*

 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Creamy Roasted New Potato Salad. Yum, yum! 

Have a wonderful Wednesday. It is cool this morning but dry thus far. We shall see!  Don't forget! 

═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════ ⊰✿░G░O░D⊰✿⊰L░O░V░E░S⊰✿⊰░Y░O░U░⊰✿
═══════════ ღೋƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒღೋ ═══════════   
 


And I do too!     Stay safe!   
 

8 comments:

  1. FBC appears to be Full Blood Count..I hate tests..and hate invasive tests like MRIs etc I once read they can find things you never knew you had then get obsessed..I can see that.
    So many putting off seeing Drs w/ this pandemic..so many suffering through this pandemic.
    Jacques..the women in his family..all had their weight in their middle section..hard to lose in one area..small legs..just trunk..WE are what we are and genetics play a huge part..
    I believe that and quite hate that;)I spoke to my cousin..and she was and is built like her mom..I loved how she described herself to me on the phone..I've always been portly:)
    I certainly was from 10-15.Bullied to bits as you know.Hard to believe at least one of these guys has a huge position..
    Another who used to laugh his brains out at me..I met him much later in life when I was thinner and was now portly.

    Such a touchy subject matter:(


    Good to know all is well!! Except the two things you work so hard at..Fingers crossed..
    Love pansies.


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    1. I am grateful for free health care and will do whatever I am asked to do. There are many things you cannot see a Doctor for now, like having your ears syringed. Poor Todd is deaf as a post right now because he cannot have that done! I was portly from age 13 to about 15 and I know how you feel. I could never be so mean. Bullies have usually been bullied. Not always, but its quite common I guess! Sorry for the late response! Somehow this got lost! xoxo

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  2. Your tests are opposite of mine my cholesterol is fine, but my blood sugar and blood pressure are up . Still and all I should lose weight too. This diet stuff is killing me and for the first time since I began I was finally able to make a healthy menu for the week. I put it on today's blog. I'm getting more comfortable with healthy eating and finding easier to do and still enjoy food too. Your delightful pansy pictures make me wish I[d planted some, they are beautiful.

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    1. We were unable to get any bedding plants this year and what seeds I was able to get didn't really grow. Very disappointed this year with the garden Pam, but maybe next year! Your healthy menu looks great! xoxo

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  3. Hi Marie, oh, dear, losing weight. That is hard. I guess we have to learn a new way of eating rather than a "diet". To me dieting is a short term thing but I know I need to revamp all my eating habits. Key word, habits. Because that's what they are - habits. And we can change habits. We can do this together. It's not easy when we love to bake. Good luck, my friend. Love and hugs (all calorie free), Elaine

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    1. Oh, Elaine, if only it was as easy to take off as it is to put on! Calorie free love and hugs right back! xoxo

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  4. Oh my sweet friend, I'm with your losing weight is a battle I have fought for many years. I finally got down to the a good weight and then Covid 19 hit and now I am up with the Covid 10 lb gain. I need to exercise more and I try but I don't do well with diet or exercise. I love food; period!!
    If you come up with a plan let me know. I have tried everything. I tend to do best on a higher protein, lower carb diet. I am happy that your blood work and all test came back good. That is awesome!
    Well enough for the subject.
    Pansies' are so beautiful and I loved learning about them today. I didn't know all of that. The photos brought joyful thoughts into my mind. I do love flowers. I loved as a child making dolls out of them. This was a very fun post.
    Sending loving thoughts, prayers and hugs your way.

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    1. Nothing works for me for long LeAnn. I can't stick to diets very well, and every time I have tried, I lose plenty of weight, but gain back more. I think I am just going to try to eat healthier and get more exercise. If I lose weight, then so much the better! xoxo

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