Having temporarily lost the use of my right hand/arm, I’m adjusting to a much slower pace. The simplest of tasks that you wouldn’t give a second thought to with two fully working hands are much harder and take much longer and it’s hard not feel permanently irritated and frustrated! Determined to start the week off on a positive note and to have a productive day, I went into the garden with my secateurs, carefully snipped one stem of hellebore (winter rose) from a healthy clump growing by the path, put the secateurs down, retrieved the flower stem, picked up the secateurs without squishing the flower… (you get the point!).
I can’t use my camera at the moment because the controls are on the right (how do left-handed people manage?!) so these pics are from my phone. They are grainy but nevertheless show the beautiful blushing on the petals, the delicate veining and the intricate flower centres. This little vase of winter beauty will keep my spirits up for as long as they last indoors; I seared the stem in a centimetre of boiling water for a few seconds which will hopefully prolong it. The gorgeous flowers should continue to bloom in the garden, though, for at least another month. At the time of year when light levels are generally low, when it’s cold and when it seems an awfully long time until spring, with the added complication of one arm down, I need all the chinks of wonder I can get.
It’s lovely to be joining Cathy and the other Monday vase bloggers with my very simple offering this week. Click on the link to see more floral loveliness.
I hope January has got off to a flying start, that you’re well and you have a lovely week.
PS Thank you for your lovely comments and good wishes on my previous post. Forgive me if I don’t reply to each one individually – it takes me so flipping long to type!
acoastalplot 
Oh well done on your achievements Sam!! It must be lovely to be looking at your little hellebore vase for real. Hope you continue to make small improvements and find more ways of adapting to your restricted lifestyle
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So sorry that you’ve lost the use of your right hand. Thank goodness it’s only temporary. Like the hellebores in your vase, you persist at creating beauty even when others would have given up. Beautifully done!
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Sweet!
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Well done you for going to the trouble of capturing such a beautiful IaVoM bloom.
I hope it lasts well for you indoors!
What’s the prognosis on when you’ll be two handed again? Thinking of you and wishing you a speedy recovery.
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I’m sorry to hear of your ice-skating accident, Sam, and I hope you’ll soon be on the mend. That’s no fun at any time and I’m sure it was especially frustrating during the holidays. Nonetheless, you’ve done a nice job with the sweet little vase accented with soft pastel blooms. Best wishes for a smooth recovery without surgery.
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Simply beautiful! Winter flowers have an extra special quality don’t they? I suppose we can’t help but admire their spirit and determination to shine when all around them are dozing and awaiting warmer days! Next stop – snowdrops! Can’t wait, but meantime hellebores are glorious. You have inspired me to go out and have a poke about in my flowerbed to see how mine are doing! Thank you! I hope your wrist is mending well. Amanda https://therunningwave.blogspot.com/2019/01/a-first-2019-vase-on-monday.html
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Simple and white; two of my favorite qualities.
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Hellebores are one of my favourite flowers. So simple but beautiful
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I’m very impressed with your perseverance, not having your right hand to use at the moment must be hard. Hopefully it will mend quickly. I’ve tried out your clever trick with the hellebores and it seems to be working. They are one of my favourite flowers and it’s lovely to be able to make them last indoors.
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Thank you for the pictures and post. I am impressed that you are still blogging. I hope your wrist mends quickly. x
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Hope your right hand recovers soon. Nice Hellebore!
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Such lovely flowers, and so early too! I hope your wrist continues to mend. But maybe the enforced inaction is just what you need… (for a while at least). All good wishes for 2019 xxxx
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