Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Gardening

Last night I decided to do a little gardening, something I am not good at. I love to admire other people's gardens. Part of me yearns to do it myself. But the combination of many nights working and a sort of (well) innate laziness leads to a lack of prolonged gardening efforts. Plus, I do not know much about plants, other than "I like the way that looks." (I do know the difference between an annual and a perenniel, though.)

Last night I was doing a little digging and planted a few herbs. That was all I was going to do, and it was going to be enough. I went to the nursery, bought dirt and a couple of tools, and started to get the dirt ready (with my new digging fork!). (it is rumored to be ergonomically healthy!)

But then I noticed all of the saplings that are sprouting up in our yard. Some of them are still pretty small, and others are ridiculous, and they are in where the peonies are supposed to be. I started digging up saplings in the garden. It was about 90 degrees out. And those roots were pretty stubborn and deep. They wanted to live. I didn't want them to.

I just got a few saplings out. There is a lot more hard work ahead, a lot more stubborn roots wanting to live, and helicopter seeds still swirling around, desperately trying to take root and multiply. Most of these seeds come from an ancient tree in our front yard, an ancient tree that (we think) is beginning to die. So it is creating more and more seeds, more and more saplings, trying (as one of my parishoners said) to "expand its territory." (Sort of like Jabez, I said.)

But I am the enemy of life right now, digging up deep roots, throwing out branches, going after small trees just trying to live -- all because they happen to be in the wrong place.

It's an odd assignment.

9 comments:

Fran said...

Oh Diane! Good for you, I find gardening a tonic for the soul.

I used to be very intimidated by it. Then I came to understand that a bit of "I like how that looks" with a teensy bit of easy knowledge can yield a garden of delight!

Jan said...

Good for both of you! I don't garden here because it is TOO hot and humid. I'm a wimp.

Lori said...

Kudos to you and Fran for gardening. It's on my list. For 2017 when my son graduates high school. Right before tidying out closets.

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't mind it (actually, ours is mostly weeding and cutting down shrubs) except for the heat and mosquitoes. Especially the mosquitoes this year.

Choralgrrl said...

Wow--the Enemy of Life? That's sort of a lot to take on. ;-)

Diane M. Roth said...

well, just at the moment, choralgirl.

and it is an odd sort of pride, to be able to pull something up, roots and all...

Barbara B. said...

Hmmm... my garden is turning into a weed patch... guess I better head outside!

Hot Cup Lutheran said...

what you need is for barbara b. to round up nutty mcsquirrel and several of his buddies to come and take care of those helicopters for you... they are a yummy supper for squirrels you know.

scout might not like the bushy tail invastion though...

Ruth Hull Chatlien said...

My garden is just one step short of being a federal disaster area (weeds and rogue maple trees--I hear from others that this has been a banner year for seeds), but I finished a writing project today and will have four days off. So I too will get to be the Enemy of LIfe.