When preparing for a battle that you know at the onset will be hard won, it helps to be prepared both mentally and physically for the long haul. Starting out with a huge second breakfast of Mama's Mound of Love, I suited up (overalls, pink bandana, wellies) gathered up my implements of weed destruction, and my water cauldron...I think I kissed the children, grabbed my husbands----, (sorry I digress, he has been working out. WOWIE! Go honey!) bade them all a fond good day and headed out into the morning sun to met out some farm justice.
After what seemed like 10 hours of non stop hacking and chopping, endless spider encounters, 4 fire ant outbursts and one snake skin, which Riley immediately confiscated. (He now has a blue treasure pot for all the cool stuff I dig up) I came across a particularly challenging root. This thing went on forever, all the way from the back fence bed to the middle of sweet potato heaven. I had to summon the power of Greyskull to pull this thing. Funny, in a moment of clarity, just I a reached for my all powerful attack hacker, something told me, "Dirtgirl...um you might want to pause for a moment of reflection". A little easier said than done my friends, I was in the Zone!
My second breakfast was kicking in, hydration levels were optimum, eye and nasal passages were within the acceptable limits for dirt & debris, just humming along when I realized this root didn't have any runners, puzzling. It was a bit thick to be so close to the surface. Usually one of these bad boys is down a few more inches....You know if you wipe the dirt off and it's sleek, black and shiny, it just may be your neighbor's cable wire.
Have you seen any of those signs lately, "Call Before You Dig" I need their number....ummm, where's my cell phone??
After the cable epiphany, it was returned and tucked all snug into its own dirt bed. Bummer, I forget that I live in the middle of suburbia and just can't dig where I feel like. ((pause)) OK, redirecting the pity pout, moving on...
I have very good news. I slayed the Wildside dragon! That horrible mess fought long and hard. I had thoughts at more than a few moments that I'd have to stop, regroup and try again next weekend. I was getting very tired, the towel was begging to be thrown in. My ass anchors were dragging....(oh, some explaining is due. I had major "renovative" surgery last May in my lower GI & abdomen which required internal slings and anchors. There are 2 attached to my tail bone which pull a bit if I over do. I way over did this day!)(Sorry if this was TMI, but context is helpful) (Ok, Ok, this is why my garden reverted back to it's prehistoric self. I was out of the garden for 5 months. No bending, no lifting, no sitting, no pulling, no pushing, no Garden Zen only garden angst.
I watched the wilderness overtake my carefully planned out beds, weeds laughed at me, non beneficial bugs gave me the finger and taunted me. Plants withered in front of me like my soul. The state of chaos that ensued was devastating to the fabric of my being. There was no joy out there. No wonder words like banshee and shirl were being used to describe me. I was as big of a mess as my garden. A big piece of me was missing or maybe the steady diet of dirt.
However, with the help, cheers and general "We can do this mom" from Riley, I kicked the Wildside's weedy butt. Everything within the garden fence was pulled down to the dirt. The other side....is another story. Don't get me started on the Bougainvillea...that's the husband's joyful job. He's been chomping at the bit to take a chain saw to that spiky beauty for years!
My manicure from last week is shot, 2 nails snapped off somewhere along the way and dirt is even deeper into the cuticles. I'm feeling every mucle in my body...and some of them don't feel so nice. Aaaaahhhh, Farm Zen at last!
(No cable was lost or harmed by this weekends farming activites)
No comments:
Post a Comment