Racing with the Red Queen

[westernind]

Oh LJ, I have left you to languish. Is it any excuse to say I've been (even) busier than usual? Among other things:

• My mother had an operation on the vertebrae of her neck, to relieve pressure on her spinal cord which was taking away feeling and movement in her hands and feet. She was in the Royal Free for a week, but is now out, home, ambulant, and it looks like the operation was successful.
• I now work for the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street. Discretion now prevents me from wittering on about work online, but I do get a kick out of going through that portal every morning, past the Gatekeeper and his staff in their pink livery.
• Sang a Verdi Requiem last night, under Vladimir Jurowski (chance'd be a fine thing...) conducting the LPO, with joint massed choral forces of the LPC and the Philharmonia Chorus. One of the best concerts I've been privileged to be part of, but having sung the Dies Irae at full power about fourteen times in the last three days, today I don't even want to speak.
• I need to re-audition for the LPC as a soprano extra (managed to get listed in the Verdi programme twice, as an LPC alto and a Philharmonia sop, tee-hee.). They're doing Beethoven's Missa Solemnis later this year, and early next year the Dvorak Requiem, which somewhat grew on me whilst in Istanbul.
• Nearly off-score for this term's Birkbeck opera scenes. My role is Filippyevna, in Onegin.
• Borrowed a book on the theory of the archive from a colleague at work, but have rapidly concluded that Derrida wants a good slap - frankly I can't be arsed to engage, not even so that I can look clever. Merely alluding obliquely to other thinkers' work instead of doing proper citations isn't a sign of erudition, it's a sign ('de-sign'?, blah blah blah...) of laziness.
• I auditioned for a musical, but didn't even get a chorus part. In mitigation, apparently 150 people auditioned, most of them women, and most of them (semi)pro. I have taken the news with equanimity.
• Most of the planting is done in the garden. It feels as if it's on the starting blocks... come May, everything will explode into rampant growth.
• I have spent most of today transferring everything over from my old Treo 650 to the shiny new (and slinkier) Palm Centro, resulting in tech-joy.

What else? Nothing world-shattering - or at least nothing I can or want to put on a public journal. Still here. Pretty damn happy, all in all, but very tired. This week is again booked up every night, but after that it eases up... hence just as well I didn't get the part in the musical, otherwise it would have been insanity all the way up to July. Must remember that not every single minute has to be filled with activity; because then I don't have any time in which to see my friends.

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Dear Gardenweb, I'm a bit worried about my pieris. It's supposed to have bright red new growth which then goes dark green edged with white. But all the new leaves have faded to a pale yellowy white, with nary a streak of green. Finding appropriate google search terms is problematic. Would you have any ideas? Incidentally, those pots full of nuttin' now definitely have Something, so I've planted them out - and thank-you for the reassurance.

Comments

[velvet-the-cat.livejournal.com]

"Sang a Verdi Requiem last night, under Vladimir Jurowski (chance'd be a fine thing...)"

I see your point... hmmm.

As to the pieris, don't have an answer, but perhaps someone on this forum might: http://mygarden.rhs.org.uk/

If you can't find anything helpful let me know and I'll see how I invoke my free advice for being a member of t'RHS.

[westernind.livejournal.com]

More black belt googling early this morning reveals that it might just be a very happy pieris doing what it's supposed to do. It's 'Flaming Silver' and apparently the new growth can completely fade to white - the dark green should appear later. I did re-pot it in ericaceous compost (the books said they like acid soil) and otherwise it's looking bright-eyed and, um, bushy.

This gardening lark requires patience, doesn't it.

[misthawk.livejournal.com]

Dear Gardenweb, I'm a bit worried about my pieris.

Wow... that *is* pale. By some magical miracle, our non-gardening predecessors gifted us with a beautiful pieris. Thank goodness for a friend of mine, who in the depths of winter recommended we not cut it down and remove it. We've had showers of flowers, which the bees love, and gorgeous red firey tips. Hope yours recovers well soon!

(P.S. rest of garden looks FAB!!!)

[renniek.livejournal.com]

I've got the same Pieris, and I've found the new leaves go from red -> whiteish -> green edged with white. If the green doesn't start coming in by the end of May, the only other thing I can suggest is that maybe the soil isn't acid enough?

[nyarbaggytep.livejournal.com]

Best wishes to your mum.

And your Pieris, which is startlingly easy to misread while tired...

Gardenin stuff

[marktoy.livejournal.com]

Dont worry about the Pieris its doing exactly what it should be doing around now, our silvers at the Hall look just the same, the pinky red will come as the weather warms up. As youve got it in a pot (bloomin good idea with your soil) give it a monthly tonic with an ericaceous feed disolved in its water as it will use up all the food in the compost in a couple of months.