My contribution to our yard has always been limited to weeding for two reasons: (1) My obsession to straighten spaces translates nicely to pulling things out and clearing ground, (2) Unlike waiting for things to grow, weeding is instant gratification.
Today I realized that my yard needs me in a bigger capacity for the simple reason that it looks absolutely terrible. After fuming all morning over our hired help that has turned out to be a total waste of time and money, I decided (around 3:17pm) to instead find joy in this opportunity to learn more about gardening and making things grow.
Promptly at 4:30pm, after being unable to focus on work-work, I grabbed some gardening tools and made my way to the little strip of yard between the sidewalk and the road. It seemed like a good and manageable piece of earth to start my journey to becoming a gardener. Although, in hindsight, nothing has ever grown here besides weeds. So perhaps, I should have chosen more wisely?
With the tool that looks like a fork with bent prongs – I will eventually learn the names of these tools, but in the meantime – I dug out all the weeds. Next I went over to the grassy looking flowering bush that seems to thrive in our yard – which now I know is called Liriope – and pulled out several shoots to transplant in the newly cleared ground. It took me about an hour and half, with another hour’s work remaining for tomorrow.
There is some dirt under my fingernails that I couldn’t get out no matter how hard I scrubbed in the shower. I also have a giant blister on my right palm that burns like hell. And damn the mosquitoes. I am bitten all over and I want to cry.
On the bright side – Ari played around me the whole time I was out there. Asha eventually came and helped. I heard birds chirping. Neighborhood kids were buzzing around and playing. I spoke in to my baby transplants as I was putting them in the ground and told them that I am sorry for taking them away from their mamas, but that they will be just fine in their new home. That if they get nice and strong, instead of craping out on me, and grow their roots really long under ground, may be they’ll see their family again.
Nothing like watching a neighbor talking to plants. Sane as ever.
Ajay and I went back out after I showered to see my handy work. It felt so satisfying to see the chaos transferred into hope. Hope which I hope isn’t crushed to pieces. Grow my little liriope babies. GROW!!!
What will it be next? I am thinking of something with Lambsears. But first, gardening gloves and bug spray.
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