In my life I have had many great gardening gurus to influence me: my dad, Carl Marsing, Marsha Porter, Debra (a budding guru), and of course the great Joseph, my son-in-law. You would think some of that influence might have rubbed off on me. Not so.
It seems the great bane of my spring and summertime is the yard. Those weeds multiply and replenish the earth faster than I can even think about eradicating them.
A couple of things I have learned and re-learned this summer:
1. Wishing weeds away doesn't work.
2. Pretending weeds will not grow doesn't work.
3. Desiring to have weeds gone is not enough. It requires many hours of hard work.
This summer I've had some good help. That's probably why I haven't whined so much. My son Ray comes out and helps me any time he's home when I'm working in the yard. I also have the niece of a friend of mine come help me once a week for an hour or two. She's twelve, and a very hard worker.
But still. They just keep coming, and growing larger and larger. Some days I feel like I'm in an old B-movie horror film: The War of the Weeds. The weeds are winning the battle as well as the war. They grow ever larger and will soon take over the earth. I'm sure of it.
This morning I was in the yard for an hour and a half. Tonight I was back out for another two hours. Here's my major problem at this moment: Joseph the Great planted our vegetable gardens this year. They are wonderful. He grew the starts, and got it all planted and ready to grow. There is one whole planter devoted to herbs. Well, in my delusions, somehow I must have dreamed that because Joseph planted it all, there would be no weeds. Oh, my sorry, sorry mind. I went out this week, and the weeds have overtaken the herbs (knee and thigh high, I'm embarrassed to admit). I began to pull the weeds. Here's the problem: there are so many that I'm afraid I may be getting rid of the herbs too. Joseph needs to come and show me what's good, and what's not. I'm trying to only pull what I absolutely know are weeds. It seems to be everything! I found myself smelling a weed after I pulled it to see if it smelled like an herb. Then I realized how backward that is.
I am overwhelmed. I was ready to burst into tears tonight, just me in the weeds, when Ray (husband) came out. He said, "Wow! It looks great!" then he said, "you've worked hard enough tonight. Come in and relax." He helped me up and carried all my stuff inside for me. It was a boon.
I still feel like crying when I think of having to get back out there and finish it.
How soon will it snow?
no snow. i'm sorry about the weeds. i think you passed your weeding hatred on to me. it's the one chore i hated, even with the promise of being paid. wasn't worth it to me.
ReplyDeleteI had a dream about you last night. You were working in a book store of all places. Shayne and I came to visit you there and you were surrounded by people and books. It was a good dream. I woke up missing you and wanting to read. :)
ReplyDeleteOh No, Me listed as a gardening guru??? What an awesome responsibility. Here's another perspective.......imagine that you enjoy working in your yard, don't even mind pulling a few weeds..........and then health issues make it one of the activities you have to limit?
ReplyDeletePlease don't judge my garden this year. It's certainly won't win any awards.