All things considered, it's amazing I still have all my digits. I'm going to rant a little because I've just cut myself again. I guess it's not something you grow out of, but a little less frequency of inflicting damage to myself would be nice. I'm not as upset as I could be due to the gorgeous sunshine streaming in the window while I type, but it's still frustrating to be such a klutz. Today's adventure saw me trimming my rose on our balcony.
This poor rose threw up a branch at me the other day to say, "Help, I've got aphids!!!". Really. In February, after some of the coldest weather in recent history. Amazing. I started in on the spraying with dishsoap / water combo when I realized that the poor, deluded plant is also starting to leaf out....???? I thought I was confused. So rather than continue spraying the aphids, I decided to prune the rose instead in hopes of hacking off what the aphids are living on. I'm new to this, so I read up on the internet (where else?) all about 45 degree cuts, above outward facing buds, clean cuts being highly desirable.
Not wanting to wait, this meant I was in the kitchen, sharpening one of my kitchen knives (not a big one, just a paring knife...) rather than going out and buying a pair of clippers. Sigh. Can you see where this is going? It started fine, I was happily cutting off all the little shoots "smaller than a pencil" as instructed by my helpful web search, when the first (yes, this is a two part story) incident happened. Since we live overlooking the roof of a row of shops that extend from our building's bottom floor perpendicularly from our balcony, I tend to throw small clippings such as these down onto the roof (doing my part in greening the world?). Of course, since I am an idiot, I managed to throw a clipping and the knife off the balcony together.
Stunned disbelief.
Since I a) wanted to finish the job at hand and, b) wanted the knife back as it's part of a set, there was nothing else to do but retrieve it. Of course, it's noon, so there are lots of people out and about to watch this process, but I kept my head down and so remained oblivious to any stares. Luckily, we know the woman downstairs and one over from us, so we have a key to her house, allowing me to go through and climb over her balcony (which is only 1/2 meter or so above the roof, which begs why even bother with the balcony, but that's another story) on to the roof. I figured if I acted like I did this sort of thing all the time, I would look less foolish and retrieved the knife.
Back on my own balcony, I'm continuing with the job - poor rose! - and sawing away at the last, rather thick, branch. Since I needed some leverage on this one, I was cutting down, away from my body (not only leverage, but also having learned from past close calls as the knife slips and heads for various body parts). Unfortunately, I was holding the branch with my other hand a little too close to the action. Do I even need to continue writing at this point?
Obviously, the branch suddenly gave way, the knife kept going, and my right index finger (I'm left handed) got a good section of knife blade, sharp edge down, smacked along its length. The fact I knew this was going to happen didn't make my any less surprised when it did and I just stared at it, thinking, "Maybe it's not deep enough to bleed", when of course, it started to well up and in I go to fight with the bandage box one-handed.
Now I sit here typing and giving rueful glances down at the somewhat gory finger with three bandages wrapped around it. At least it still types!
Considering that I've only just stopped feeling the sting of last week's adventure with a knife (chopping garlic, snipping into the end of my thumb), this is getting tiresome. It's probably about time to try something instead of hurting myself with knives, next will be a bike wreck or Maroz stomping on my foot (the black mark from last time is still growing out of my big toenail).
I'll sign off with some photos from my pre-accident morning outside.
This is a bit bright, but gives some good "Dutch clouds" that are always so beautiful. Also visible at the left is part of the refuse disposal area and that's why it looks like a hill - just old trash. To the right of that, gates are visible and these are interesting because there are no fences, just a canal and the gate marks where a land 'bridge' has been put to enable movement of stock.
This poor rose threw up a branch at me the other day to say, "Help, I've got aphids!!!". Really. In February, after some of the coldest weather in recent history. Amazing. I started in on the spraying with dishsoap / water combo when I realized that the poor, deluded plant is also starting to leaf out....???? I thought I was confused. So rather than continue spraying the aphids, I decided to prune the rose instead in hopes of hacking off what the aphids are living on. I'm new to this, so I read up on the internet (where else?) all about 45 degree cuts, above outward facing buds, clean cuts being highly desirable.
Not wanting to wait, this meant I was in the kitchen, sharpening one of my kitchen knives (not a big one, just a paring knife...) rather than going out and buying a pair of clippers. Sigh. Can you see where this is going? It started fine, I was happily cutting off all the little shoots "smaller than a pencil" as instructed by my helpful web search, when the first (yes, this is a two part story) incident happened. Since we live overlooking the roof of a row of shops that extend from our building's bottom floor perpendicularly from our balcony, I tend to throw small clippings such as these down onto the roof (doing my part in greening the world?). Of course, since I am an idiot, I managed to throw a clipping and the knife off the balcony together.
Stunned disbelief.
Since I a) wanted to finish the job at hand and, b) wanted the knife back as it's part of a set, there was nothing else to do but retrieve it. Of course, it's noon, so there are lots of people out and about to watch this process, but I kept my head down and so remained oblivious to any stares. Luckily, we know the woman downstairs and one over from us, so we have a key to her house, allowing me to go through and climb over her balcony (which is only 1/2 meter or so above the roof, which begs why even bother with the balcony, but that's another story) on to the roof. I figured if I acted like I did this sort of thing all the time, I would look less foolish and retrieved the knife.
Back on my own balcony, I'm continuing with the job - poor rose! - and sawing away at the last, rather thick, branch. Since I needed some leverage on this one, I was cutting down, away from my body (not only leverage, but also having learned from past close calls as the knife slips and heads for various body parts). Unfortunately, I was holding the branch with my other hand a little too close to the action. Do I even need to continue writing at this point?
Obviously, the branch suddenly gave way, the knife kept going, and my right index finger (I'm left handed) got a good section of knife blade, sharp edge down, smacked along its length. The fact I knew this was going to happen didn't make my any less surprised when it did and I just stared at it, thinking, "Maybe it's not deep enough to bleed", when of course, it started to well up and in I go to fight with the bandage box one-handed.
Now I sit here typing and giving rueful glances down at the somewhat gory finger with three bandages wrapped around it. At least it still types!
Considering that I've only just stopped feeling the sting of last week's adventure with a knife (chopping garlic, snipping into the end of my thumb), this is getting tiresome. It's probably about time to try something instead of hurting myself with knives, next will be a bike wreck or Maroz stomping on my foot (the black mark from last time is still growing out of my big toenail).
I'll sign off with some photos from my pre-accident morning outside.
This is a bit bright, but gives some good "Dutch clouds" that are always so beautiful. Also visible at the left is part of the refuse disposal area and that's why it looks like a hill - just old trash. To the right of that, gates are visible and these are interesting because there are no fences, just a canal and the gate marks where a land 'bridge' has been put to enable movement of stock.
A local coot. These little buggers never seem to sleep (maybe that's why they have red eyes?) and so I'm awakened at all hours of the night by their piercing squawk. Not my favourite bird, but they're everywhere, so not much I can do about it!
Another canal shot, next to the marina in Wassenaar. Visible is a great looking sailing boat, as well as some tortured trees. I don't know why, but the trend here is to 'top' trees so they send up dozens of suckers that only require more trimming in a couple years. Natural shapes seem more pleasing to me.
A beautiful day (although snow is visible along the bike path here), bare branches, lovely clouds, and boats tidily lined up next to the marina entrance.
2 comments:
Those tortured trees remind me of what some people here in the South do to their Crepe Myrtles. We call it " crepe murder ". It really makes me sad to see people do that to their trees and shrubs.
It's really terrible, isn't it? We had maples around our house in Sandpoint, two were natural and two had been topped years ago. The natural shape is so much more graceful and, well, natural. I don't understand it either, Mike has certainly heard me rant about it here when we are out biking! I've seen some very young trees being given the treatment, when they are only as big around as the fat end of a baseball bat. It's a real shame.
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