random thoughts – Day 1,504 – (Monday) – plant interest

This morning, running the bag of litter box stuff out to the big trash bin parked at the curb for pickup, it was sunny, the sky was blue and something in the air made it feel like a beach day. It might have been humidity, or just the warmth of the sun. In reality, most days are technically great for a visit to the beach to watch the water and smell the salty air. I say this, knowing full well that I almost never go, but I like the idea that I can be at the beach in about an hour, and that is a comfort.

I did not go to the beach. It was a work day. As work days go, it was a decent one. Things moved along the superhighway of workflow. Approvals were received. Questions were answered. A pizza with pineapple and black olives was ordered for supper and leftover lunches for the week.

The sunny, warm weather inspired yard work after work-work. The big pointy shovel was taken from the shed and the battle of the overgrown irises began. They are growing thick and dense hear the shed, and for several years, I've intended to thin them, and then I didn't. The shovel squeaked and groaned as I tried to push it into the ground and it seemed it might snap. The smaller of two tight clusters was lifted out of the ground near the shed and transplanted along the back property line. After that, it was feeling less fun and interesting with every passing second.

The soil along the back edge of the yard is dark and dense grass grows along the fence line. It feels like every year I rip it out, and a month later it is back. The area deserves a lot more work and attention than it gets, but unfortunately, I’m only a little bit into the whole gardening thing. I lose interest pretty quickly and the clock is already ticking. 

Tiny hearts to be.

In addition to the grass being thick at the back not-quite-a-flower-bed, the worms are plentiful. Seeing all the worms while I was digging reminded me of being young and living upstairs from Grandpa Simonds. He would dig in the hill in the back yard for night crawlers for fishing. I did not harvest my worms. They were gently moved aside and I hoped they weren't being accidentally harmed by me and my pointy shovel.

The four backyard Bleeding Hearts, transplants from the thinning of the front plant a year or two ago, are all sporting bright pink heart blossoms. The main plant out front that grows thick and lush every year and two small transplants dug from it the other day have tight buds of not yet opened heart blossoms. It's possibly the first time I've noticed these. I may have mentioned I kind of have a short attention span with gardening.

The mums are coming in green and leafy, and the one remaining hosta gets larger each year and is now battling for space with an encroaching day lily. There were several hosta plants for a while, but they had to be dug out when the new fence went in a couple years ago. The transplant survival rate wasn’t very high. Now, I can’t even remember where they were planted and they seem to be gone without a trace.

Maybe this year my interest in yard labor will last a little longer than usual. I wouldn't put money on it, though.