One of the things that drew my wife and I to our new home was the backyard. With a half dozen citrus trees keeping guard over a garden full of desert blooms it is absolutely beautiful--especially this time of year. When we bought the house, we definitely pictured ourselves getting a lot of use out of the backyard. Perhaps if I examined that picture closer, I would have noticed I was wearing work gloves and pulling weeds. Having graduated from a 2 bedroom townhouse with a small brick patio, I wasn't necessarily ready for the labor involved in my new plot. I have to confess, I wasn't even sure why one trash bins was green.
So everything in the backyard is growing nicely. And even though we look to have plenty of oranges and lemons this season, this year’s real bumper crop is going to be Dandelions. Did you ever look at your yard only be able to see the weeds? I am frequently stricken with weed tunnel vision. Bobby Fischer could be playing horseshoes with Elvis by the fence, and I all could see is those nasty jagged little leaves. So on the weekend I am Indiana Jones, working my machete thought the thickness of the jungle. (Of course there’s no archaeological treasure and I’m toting Roundup instead of a whip.)
Yet, I have found a certain solace in weeding. It's very therapeutic. How many problems in life have solutions as simple as getting down to the root and removing them? Then there’s the sense of accomplishment of having worked in the backyard for the afternoon eradicating the evil Taraxacum officinale from the peaceful garden neighborhood. I know the weeds will be back, but every hero needs his recurring villain to define his character. So for those of you that escaped the fate in the green plastic bin on this Sunday, rest assured I’ll be back next weekend.
Unless I’m at the beach.
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