• After weeding, adding top soil, sowing morning glory, moonflower, sunflower and zinnia seeds and then cutting back rose bushes and adding mulch, I staggered into the house, took a shower, ate some lunch, and waved my white flag. Most everything is done now, except for some bramble pruning and routine maintenance (aka weed pulling.)
I’ve worked for hours every day when it wasn’t raining, lugging bags of mulch and top soil and potting soil, bending over thousands of times, and yanking on brambles and weeds, and my back was aching and I was just plain exhausted. I think this was probably intensified by the fact that I knew I had reached my goal and my body was screaming at me to “Let go and STOP!”
This wild patch of ground needs taming, as I said yesterday, and every year it needs to be re-tamed. The work has always been tiring, but 13 years ago when I started gardening here, I was 53. Now I’m 66. That’s a big difference. Anyway, I told Don that I was exhausted and ready to cry and he held me and comforted me and ordered me to do nothing today.
Before someone writes to me and asks why Don doesn’t do more of the work (as someone did last year in a passive-aggressive email), let me assure you, he would if I asked. I very seldom ask. I’m pig-headed and I know what to do and how to do it and I like to be in control. None of that is Don’s issue. It’s mine. I’m going to have to learn to delegate the heavy lifting. But everything else, I really do have to do myself. And besides, Don has bad knees which cause him a lot of pain, so why would I want to cause him more pain? He does a lot of the mowing and a heck of a lot besides that and I’m grateful to him.
Normally, I would pace myself a bit more but with all the rain we’ve had. I’ve had to increase my work load on those rare days when it’s dry out there. And I had to get those seeds in the ground – it’s well over a week past my usual sowing time.
I’m also battling allergies which doesn’t help.
Anyway, this isn’t meant to be a complaining post. After all, I decide what to do every day. I’m just sharing how I felt at the end of the day yesterday. I’m taking it easy today and tomorrow. I’ll water the plants – although it’s supposed to storm, so I may not have to – but that’s it. I need to rest my back and my hands. I rescheduled my oil change until Monday.
But, it sure looks good out there.
• By the way, that tulip has the most incredible scent! I’m used to store-bought tulips with no scent and never thought to lean in and smell this particular tulip until this year. Heavenly!
Moody porch – yesterday was quite cool with gray skies all day long.
• The garden bed on the other side of the house is becoming quite the woodland shade bed. Besides the day lilies, liatris, catmint, coneflowers, and butterfly bush that are already established, ferns are appearing, and the Solomon’s Seal that I planted last year has tripled in size.
I want to plant more of it in the newer bed that I started last year. That’s the one under the kitchen sink window and it’s all shade. Since Solomon’s Seal spreads like a ground cover, I think it would fill that area rather nicely.
You can see some of the ferns in the background. I’ll take more photos soon.
Also self-seeding into the bed from the edges of the lawn are some lovely white wild violets.
They’re scattered around the bed and I love them there. Funny how a garden can evolve with unexpected additions, isn’t it?
• I’m reading Anne Fadiman’s Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader. It’s been around for several years but I’m just now getting to it. I love books about books and reading and her essays are delightful. I ordered it from our library system.
• You know that Don and I do this silly thing now, right? We sit down to dinner anywhere between 6:30 and 7:00 and that means that there is already a TCM movie in progress that started at 6:00 pm. We watch the movie from that point on, trying to figure out the plot and what happened before we tuned in, and sometimes the movies are bad and sometimes what we see is so intriguing that we make plans to watch the whole thing.
Last night, we saw a movie that was so dreadful, so bad, that we kept laughing through the whole thing. It was called The Fastest Guitar Alive and it starred several people I had never heard of, and…get this…Roy Orbison. While I am in awe of Orbison’s singing voice and am a huge fan, he could not act his way out of a paper bag. To be fair to Roy, the other members of the cast weren’t so great, either. Terrible script. Terrible direction. I won’t even begin to try to describe the plot, except to mention that Roy carried a guitar that had a gun in its interior that would emerge when needed.
When Beach Blanket Bingo looks like an art house movie in comparison, you know it’s bad.
We were stunned. It was so horrible, so unbelievably ill-advised, that it was fascinating.
In one fight scene, we could clearly make out the face of the stuntman – no attempt was made to disguise him. The camera would flip back and forth from the actor’s face to the stuntman’s face and it couldn’t have been more obvious.
Hilarious.
Okay. I’ve rambled on enough.
Happy Friday.
lol You sound like my sister (who lives in Michigan). After she spent a day like yours, I commented that she couldn’t escape the yard work. Her response, “Truth is, I can’t stand it left undone.” Her yard looks great, and so does yours!
wow … that is a very long list of hard work you’ve done! hope your back feels better by now and you are taking it easy.
and fwiw, there’s no judgement or assumptions from me about who does or doesn’t do the gardening/lawn work, cooking, etc. at your home. :) never thought about it.
also, the plants and flowers look beautiful!
this week of vacation has gone by so fast, but my files are in much better order, i have several bags of paper to shred tomorrow (free, courtesy of a local bank) and that feels GREAT! :)
hope you have a great weekend ahead!
kathy in iowa
whoops … put my comment in the wrong place. sorry.
also, i like the dinner tradition that you and don have! i don’t have cable tv, but like movies so will watch one when i can, starting in the middle if need be … but think i’ll skip “fastest guitar alive”. :)
kathy in iowa
I would recommend skipping it!
Hurray, kathy in iowa! I’m so happy for you to have bags…plural…to schlep off for shredding! Coincidentally, the shredding event for my neighborhood is also tomorrow, and I have three cartons full of documents and bills that I’ve saved up since the last shredding event six months ago, plus all the duplicate and bad photos (think accidental shots of shoes and sky). I have a whole carton of photos and boy, you wouldn’t think it would be so heavy! Anyway, isn’t it nice to feel GREAT about that load of paper getting OUT of your home?!?!
to wendy t …
thank you so much! it is a great relief to have that work done and a huge amount of junk soon gone … four paper sacks so far and there will be more by tomorrow!
i still have a couple boxes of photos, old cards, etc. to go through and (as a very sentimental person) that will be hard, bittersweet … but it will get done in time. and yes, i have some of those shoes and sky type of photos, too. :)
congratulations on being so organized! those community shredding opportunities are a nice thing to make available for people (glad we have one here tomorrow). imagine if we still had to shred things the old way … with scissors or a bonfire. no thanks!
anyway, thanks for your encouragement, wendy!
hope you have a great weekend ahead!
kathy in iowa
Hi kathy in iowa, I have two shredders, covered and stored in the garage. I keep everything I need to shred in reusable bags until the next event, which also includes recycling electronics and metals. I’m glad many cities have a progressive way of getting rid of stuff. My area is full of places to bring unwanted, gently used items, and there is an actively hazardous waste disposal program that also takes pharmaceuticals. I often think I’m done with purging, but then there’s another box or bag to haul away! Hope you have a good weekend and take a break from purging!
hi, wendy.
sounds like you have a great system for getting rid of paper and lots of other things … good for you! :)
if i do say so myself, i am a good organizer of things except for paper (duh) … then i am more naturally a piler, not a filer … ha. add grief, depression and working 60+ hours a week in a stressful job for many years, well, i let things slide for too long. reached maximum capacity moving to a much smaller place that i love so i am mending my ways. :)
we have single-stream recycling here, but were told a month ago that might change as it’s very expensive for companies to hire lots of sorters … so, sadly, we might go backwards and only recycle cans, newspapers, glass and very little plastic. ugh! we have places where we can safely dispose of medications, old appliances, etc, but we (des moines, the country, the world) need to do better!
anyway, i am about done for the day, will definitely take a break … and hope you do, too. have a fun weekend!
kathy in iowa
I am taking it easy today. It’s raining, which helps. I went outside to check on everything but otherwise, I’m inside sitting in my chair in the den. Thanks, Kathy.
We are both probably our own worst enemies, Lynda!
I’m in the same boat here weather wise and garden control issues wise. I am however way behind you in what’s gotten done and with a trip coming up I’ll be in an even bigger pickle. I’ve used this horrible New England spring to get some inside overdue chores and purging done and haven’t done much at all outside. I’m thinking of letting some woods take over a bit more of the yard this year to make it more manageable but who knows what will happen. Whenever I think of making less work for myself I end up with more plants and another garden!
Same here, Deb! It’s a real problem!
I think I may have seen part of that movie a few years ago? Now thinking about it, I wonder if “The Fastest Guitar Alive” is a satire? Makes me think of the movies like “Kung Pow” ( couldn’t finish watching this one. There are scenes I would like to unremember.) making fun of the karate type movies, “Top Secret” with Val Kilmer, making fun of spy movies and then my favorite (she says sarcastically) “Blue Demon” making fun of shark movies. When I first saw “Blue Demon”, I was confused because I didn’t know if the movie was suppose to be serious or funny. I would ask questions like How did shark get into the fresh water? Where did the man with harpoon come from?
Plan to go to Barnes and Nobles tomorrow. The book “Life in the Garden” by Penelope Lively that you mentioned has my interest. I love cover of the book.
Clouding up here. Suppose to be a wet weekend
No. It definitely isn’t a satire. They were serious, unfortunately!
I hope you find a copy of the book, Trina. It’s really lovely!
Hard work but now you can sit back and really enjoy. I’ve been jealously eyeing your flower pictures on IG. Everything looks lovely, especially that porch of yours. Our front porch is much smaller and I usually just put a couple rockers out there. You’ve inspired me to do more with plants there instead of just concentrating on the back gardens and patio.
I don’t weed quite as ferociously as I once did, a concession to my own age, bad back and knees. My husband though is a bit younger and I usually expect him to be out there getting on with it. I find it quite easy to delegate. Sunny today but still cold, barely going to get into the 50’s. Hoping it gets warm enough to visit the nursery this weekend. I’m anxious to fix up a corner we haven’t done much with as a little memorial spot to our sweet Allie kitty we lost in March.
I hope your temps get warmer, Kay. You all deserve it!
At some point in the summer, I will give up on weeds. It always happens! I throw in the towel.
to kay …
sorry for the loss of your sweet cat. here’s a virtual hug (if you want) and encouragement that you do something nice for yourself today.
i like the idea of a memorial in your garden.
with prayers for peace,
kathy in iowa
Thank you, Kathy. Appreciate your kind words.
I have no weather excuses for not going out and doing my Spring chores…soon it will be summer! I’ve already missed pruning the rose, and have decided to let it go for now, since its flowering. Thank goodness I only have one rose. I’d mistreat all of them… today is gorgeous, and the fog lifted while I was reading in bed. I woke up really early and decided to have a read-in, so I missed the early morning fog. For sure, some sewing of the curtains must occur today. My cousin’s will be at my Mom’s doorstep before we know it! Have a good rest of the day…rest your back!
My roses tend to be problematic. When we lived in CA, roses seemed to thrive effortlessly. But it’s not the same here. I often think of ripping them out, but then – like this year – they’ll leaf out early and I give them another chance.
I remember those days when I worked like crazy in the yard. I just don’t enjoy it any more so my new house will only have a bit of landscaping and house plants.
I am grateful for people like you who make the world more beautiful
Aw, thank you, Kay!
Never heard of Solomon’s Seal. It’s gorgeous. At first, I thought they was hostas. Really beautiful. Ed Wood wasn’t the director of “Fastest Guitar Alive”, was he?? LOL. Sometimes I really love watching bad movies. I play film critic & actually watch very closely – looking for goofs like the ones you described. And it’s even better if one or both of my sisters are here. We’re all movie buffs & now know just enough to be a little obnoxious while “critiquing” – we have so much fun ridiculing them. Hope you don’t see one THAT bad again for quite a while though. Have a great weekend & rest your back. 🎥
#Resist
#ImpeachTrump
#DisBarr
No, it was a guy named Michael D. Moore. It may explain why I don’t recognize his name! Thanks, Janet.
Maybe you could at least have Don carry/drag the bags of soil and mulch to where you want them? Not criticizing; just trying to be helpful. I know there’s no way I could carry those heavy bags. And here this year I can’t do much because of my back, so Brian’s bearing the load in the yard. Two years ago, I had a meniscus tear and was also limited, and two years before that I had a rotator cuff tear and was limited in yard work, too! So I am very grateful for Brian (in other ways, too, of course.) Anyway, here your yard is done and mine hasn’t even gotten started!
We don’t have TCM – only basic cable. We wouldn’t choose to have any cable at all, but it’s actually cheaper for us to have it on one TV in our bundle package. We don’t watch much TV but when we do, it’s usually something on Netflix or Hulu.
I can carry them. The problem is that I’m never sure how many I’m going to need at any given moment. But I am going to enlist his help next year. He’s perfectly willing to do so.
I hope your back feels better soon, Melanie. Mine is bothering me right now, and I know how frustrating back pain can be.
I love your garden sign on the porch bench!
I have gotten nothing done so far… it rains on my days off! I think this year I’m going to have my husband move the bags of mulch for me otherwise I control the gardens!
Solomon’s seal is so pretty. The NY botanical gardens have loads of it and it looks fantastic in a huge group.
Your gardens are always beautiful. Now you can take time to savor them.
Yes. I’m going to relax this weekend and enjoy!
We worked outside for about 5 hours…are we tired? YES! But it felt good to be able to be out there pulling weeds, getting rid of two different invasive species..one of them Bishops weed I think it’s called. After that, my hubby removed some ferns…and I spread mulch. One bed done….three more to go.
At first I thought that Solomon’s Seal was a hosta. Sort of looks like Lily of the Valley, too. Might have to get some in the future. They keep changing our weather forecast…adding more rain of course. So…tomorrow…it’s right back at it, spreading mulch, and pulling weeds as needed. My reward? Knowing it’s going to look fantastic when it’s all done! Enjoy your evening! ;)
It does feel good to get the chance – finally – to do something!
When the Solomon’s Seal came up this year, I forgot what it was and thought it was a hosta, too.
I was in the hospital for a few days due to gastro-enteritis. I am home and recovering. While I was in, my sister was I the E.R. in Tampa also. Between the two of us and the terrible conditions, I am pleased to be home and alive.
My garden is okay. I do get help once a week. The cosmos I planted fro seeds are blooming, My tomato plants are filled with fruit. However, my blueberry bushes might have been cut back too much as they are not showing signs of berries. The same can be said for my pear trees.
I am not discouraged.
Once I am well, I have a family member to get me to FL to the sister who has an illness that is terminal, Meanwhile, each day is filled with new challenges but that is life.
We have had a great deal of rain here also, So, it is harder to get the work done, Still, we have a lovely old home. It just needs a lot of work,
As far as your does or does not do, he seems to be a good husband and he is yours and not mine. You were hurt by a careless or cruel comment. It will take some time to heal,
Mary Ann
to mary ann …
prayers said for you and your sisters.
may you all have peace, comfort, healing and other good things …
kathy in iowa
Love that expression”bee’s
knees”
xo
I’m so sorry you had to deal with the hospital and I’m very sad to hear your sister is so ill, Mary Ann. Thinking of you as you navigate all of this – and thinking of your sister with healing prayers.
My husband is the bees knees, Mary Ann!
Spring is springing and I certainly can feel all those muscles that took the winter off, but I’m feeling stronger each day! I’m the gardener in our family too; I “tolerate” help from my sweetie, who is a decent gardener in his own right but is stuck with an opinionated capable wife!
I love this community, Claudia! Thank you so much for bringing us together.
I’m feeling stronger as well, although I have crashed temporarily! xo
It’s so nice to see your garden come to green-life again after the wintery photos from a few months back. I’m always amazed at your energy and determination when it comes to the garden; I just don’t know how you do it. I don’t have an ounce of it whereas you have a lot of strength, for which I applaud you. Just don’t overdo. I see a scary diff in how I am now compared to 20 years ago and I wish it wasn’t so. I’m working on it, but it’s slow; I finally broke down and bought a 3-pronged cane for further-distance walking or, at the moment, I just can’t do it, and I want to do it! But Claudia, how DO you do it? Because you had a lot of the sedentary life all winter. I know you’re healthy and vegetarian, which I’m sure is much-more beneficial, but you never say if you work out. Do you think a lot of it is just your metabolism and DNA? What’s your secret? (Inquiring minds want to know!!) For all that you can sit for hours and read, are you otherwise naturally active, like when you haul all the trash to the recycler; that sort of thing? I don’t think your trail walks are every day, right? I’m just looking for the formula! I’m sure it helps that you always seem to keep your weight in check, more or less. I remember how you get yourself to the City and walk all over the streets of Manhattan, getting on and off trains. It takes some vitality. Just floors me; I’m envious! I have difficulty just keeping my house clean, and tending to my animals!
I don’t know what my secret is. Right now, I’m feeling pretty exhausted and my back is hurting. I just do what I have to do. Don says I’m strong – that’s his observation – and I’m one of those people who say “Have to get it done!”
FYI: I don’t keep my weight in check. I’ve gained every year and despite my best efforts, I don’t seem to be losing any of it.
Wow, every photo you’ve ever posted sure looks like normal weight to me but, I agree with Don, you ARE strong!! And you do persevere; maybe I give up too easily. My husband does push thru pain, sometimes much to his detriment, but he’s got what I call (fondly; enviously) that Midwestern attitude of what you’re saying, to just go to it. Do it. Get on with it. Get it done. Fall down, pull yourself up, dust yourself off and carry on (actually, I think part of that is an old Sinatra song!). He is not a complainer and doesn’t want to hear complaining. Maybe I should call it Midwestern grit. He grew up pretty much smack dab in the center of the U.S. I’m, on the other hand, a SoCalif girl thru & thru, and I notice the differences. I’m of course making HUGE generalizations, only speaking for myself but there’s a boho beach-girl laziness to me (which he doesn’t let me get away with!).
Well, I’m a midwestern girl so I understand your husband! xo
I know how you love your garden but we do have to learn to pace ourselves. I’ve been trying to keep things going for my house and Mom’s and it’s wearing me down. Changes need to be made but it’s so hard. My depression has returned with a vengeance. Ugh. Your flowers and plants look so good and that has to be uplifting. The dinner and part of a movie sounds like fun, even the terrible one you wrote about made you laugh. Hoping I can find some smiles today.
Yes, we do, as hard as that is to admit! My back is hurting at the moment, but I’m going to sit on the glider and read. Sounds like heaven!
Sometimes there’s nothing better than a bad movie to laugh at or snark at! It can be very therapeutic — especially after a tough day of either mulching around or nursing wounds. In our family we say, “Good job, Carson!” when someone does something well. (The phrase became ingrained in our minds as one goes about reinforcing good things in a toddler!). So, to you I say, “Good job, Carson!” for all the garden work and to Don a “Good job, Carson!” for “making” you take the day off!
And I get the “I want to do it myself because I know what I want” thing. That’s me. And like you, I need to better learn to ask for help! Happy weekend!
Bad movies can be a heck of a lot of fun, Jeanie!
Thanks!
Thank you Kathy in Iowa.
I loved your movie review! I do the potting, arranging and some of the light work in the gardens and yard. But I have hernias for the 5 th time in 23 years and cannot lift anything that weighs more than 6 pounds. Now I have to whine, I had ovarian cancer 24 years ago. Cheers for survival! But I was cut across, then up and down and as a result nothing to hold my stomach together. After many surgical repairs I am not going to repair again! I never talk about this but for some reason your talk on why Don can’t help made me think about why I can’t do some work.
That makes sense. You have to be careful out there, Gayle. I suspect I should be, as well. And I’ve been doing a lot of heavy lifting. But the most important thing is that you survived, Gayle. xoxo