Wednesday, January 11, 2012

From, "Summers at Big Creek"

Weeds in Heaven


Of all the plants pictured above I am pretty sure that I have weedeated (if that's a word) and continue to weedeat most of them while working in the yard here at Big Creek. There is just something about working and cleaning up in and around the garden and yard that causes me to put all my love of plants on the back burner and "go for it!" There is something about the powerful hum coming from the engine with weeds and grass being thrown confetti like into the air that is intoxicating and gets me into the mood for total annihilation of anything that gets in the way. Also the smell of gasoline and motor oil makes anything else seem unimportant. It makes me want to put on a t-shirt like Marlon Brando wore in "A Streetcar Named Desire," curse the weeds, drink a beer, chew tobacco, kick things and sweat. Damn the weeds full speed ahead (thanks Admiral Farragut)! The act of weed eating, however, I do actually enjoy. The goal of having an orderly and weedless garden is not something for me to strive for anymore since clearly I cannot manage such lofty ambition, despite what I once believed. A weedeater helps but only a little. Being older now could also be a factor in my lack of interest and motivation.


Before I retired I thought, "When I don't work any more I will have the time to keep all the weeds and unwanted plants out of my garden altogether!" Ha, fat chance! That will never happen. Now I know that I do not have the resolution or will power for even coming close to managing anything like a weedless garden. For even a reasonable man, which I do think I am; a weedless garden is not something to aspire to in this lifetime, even when you are retired. Maybe it's for when you die and live in heaven, if you believe in heaven and if you go there and if there is a heaven, If you can have a garden there....questions, questions, questions.

Anyway, the vegetation that one thinks of as weeds are just plants that are in a place that you do not want them. Of course there are plants that you never want any place, anytime or anywhere like chickweed. This particular plant has some use in the feeding of chickens; they love it, thus the name.

Blog Archive

Followers