Hummingbird Hawkmoth

My lovely husband is back from surgery and has just enjoyed the best cup of tea he’s ever tasted!

I received a text from my son just after 2.00 pm to say that the operation had been under way for half an hour, with no repeat of the previous difficulties under anaesthesia. 

Once I knew that the surgery had begun, I was able to relax a bit more, so I stepped outside to enjoy the warm autumnal sunshine. I haven’t really spent any length of time outdoors for many weeks, and it felt so special to be sitting in the garden, surrounded by the twittering of goldfinches in the branches of the trees overhead. I saw my woodpecker at the feeders – he’s been quite elusive recently – a dunnock and some blue tits and great tits as well as all the goldfinches. My Merlin app also told me there was a jay nearby – I had seen one in the garden yesterday from the kitchen window. I just drank in the beauty of the moment, enjoying some peace and rest after the strain of the past five weeks, feeling a sweet blessing from God pouring over me, and felt a deep sense of contentment.

As I wandered along the garden path with my camera I saw this hummingbird hawkmoth swooping around the salvias, so that was an added bonus because I don’t think I’ve ever seen one before. I was glad to be able to upload it to my iNaturalist dashboard.

Smithers was back in his Intensive Care room by 3.30 pm, and the consultant said it had gone well. His blood pressure did go up and down during surgery, but within acceptable parameters. By 4.00 pm I had spoken briefly to him on our son’s phone. He was very groggy, but very pleased to hear my voice. I can’t wait to go and visit him later on this evening when he’s had time to rest a bit.

Thank you so much to all my lovely Blip friends who have been so caring and encouraging to me while we’ve been struggling through this difficult few weeks.