Enjoy working in my yard

I love weeding, really I do. It’s a mindless task, yet it calms and focuses my mind. I usually sit and pull the weeds between my knees. It’s relaxing that way and I notice the birds and butterflies, but few thoughts intrude on my single-minded focus. Today a beautiful dragon fly with sparking wings followed me. Sometimes a neighbor stops to talk. But the one sure thing about weeding is that a little piece of my life is quickly made perfect. What doesn’t belong is neatly removed and what’s left is clean and beautiful.

I found this little guy by my front door a couple of weeks ago. I just love having little critters think my garden is a cool place to hang out.

birds’ nests were discovered this weekend. One is under the eaves, resting on top of the gutter where it bends back under the house. I think it’s a Blue Jay nest, but not sure as it’s a little dark and the parents don’t stay long. I’ll be keeping an eye on it. The other is under the deck. I’m amazed at that one as the dogs could get right up to it if they wanted. I love having a yard that’s wildlife friendly.

One of my garden goals has always been to create a mini wildlife habitat. So, I was happy to find this little fella a couple of days ago. I’m amazed (and pleased) that the dogs didn’t scare him off.

I’ve become a rescuing, planting machine. This will be the last year that our native plant group can rescue at a particularly wonderful rich site. So, I’m going there as often as possible and doing nothing but digging and planting except for absolute necessities like taxes and bill paying. And I’m not doing such a hot job on the necessities. I left a wet load of clothes in the washer so long that 3 shirts got mildew stains. I didn’t think I’d have to create a “do the laundry” goal. :D And remember that I have a full-time job. I am going to work most days.

Just wanted to let you all know you’re not forgotten. I still have fantasies of catching up with all of my subscribees. But now that we’re on daylight savings time, it’s light until 8:00 pm. Hopefully I’ll have time to take some good photos and post them. Later this summer I’ll have lots of new entries for “Identify all the plants in my yard.”

I hope everyone else is having a good spring, too.

OK, I wasn’t working; I was just sitting on the stone bench in front of the redbud tree. And then I saw the hummingbird come in to visit the cardinal flowers. Friends and neighbors have seen hummingbirds in my yard, but this was the first time that I saw one there. He magically flitted from one flower to another and then he was gone. It made me remember what gardening is all about. And when I came inside a little later, I realized that the ache in my neck and shoulders was gone.

I already work in my yard a lot, but I want to enjoy it more and not stress over all the things that I just don’t have time to get done. I dislike the word gardening (for myself) as it implies more control and structure than I want. Backyard ecologist is more what I aspire to, but it sounds a little pretentious. So I just say work in my yard. I don’t think that I need to change what I’m doing. I just want to stop worrying about my imperfect design, the weather, etc.