It’s a tough week for me this week – yesterday I had my first University exam (Biology) and I have another one on Thursday. I’ve also got a full schedule of other Uni work AND my baby goes into the dog hospital tomorrow for her op to remove those lumps that I spoke of a couple of weeks ago. Since the vet decided they had to come off I have found another one on her little body and have spent most of the last week in fits of complete terror worrying about her.

It’s a good job I’m so busy or I might just curl up in a corner and cry but I can’t afford the luxury of the time to do that.

Today has been an equally tough day – lots of Chemistry today and with a Chemistry exam coming up on Thursday I don’t really want to be learning NEW stuff at this stage….that’ll only add to my burden. Of course to any proper chemist (Colin), covalent bonds and ionic bonds are still very much in the land of Mickey Mouse so he won’t see what all the fuss is about but for me, it’s a baffling landscape – like being in a maze and being unable to find my way out.

My stupid brain told me it was about time I shot a pic for my blog because otherwise I might as well not bother doing it any more because it’s been so sporadic. So, I looked around for a possible subject for a shot and I thought this would be a good one.

In a vase, in our sitting room is a bunch of dead hydrangea flowers from the beautiful plant that’s leaf I shot yesterday. They’ve been dead for weeks and I’ve still not got around to chucking them out. I love the swirly, curly nature of the way this leaf has died.

What’s amazed and thrilled me though is that I can now tell you that it’s taken from an angiosperm and that the distal part of the leaf is pointing towards the camera, while the proximal is right next to a new bud shooting out from the node. I can also tell you that its adaxial surface has obviously contracted as it has dried out and so you can see its abaxial surface appearing on top, where it shouldn’t be.

Yikes – I’ve learned something.

I’ve also learned that this plant has had the tenacity to produce new leaf buds after it has been cut from the bush. It’s already on a stem that has no hope of survival but it still felt it was worth carrying on with its normal business and making leaf buds even though it knows it has no hope of unfurling them next year.

I reckon that’s a lesson for me – hang on in there and keep doing my stuff. Keep on working and making an effort, however hopeless the future seems – does anything give you the feeling I’m really worried about my chances in my Chemistry exam? If not, then you’ve not been concentrating.