I thought I was doing well.
Finding the occasional block of a few hours not taken up by my seven-day-a-week job here at The Journal, I managed to not only dig up half of my backyard this Spring (in between the raindrops), but also plant a few vegetables in the garden spot.
Just in time for the heat to arrive after one last deluge of rain. The turnips are already up. I just have to keep it all from frying to a crisp now.
With the help of my neighbour’s rototiller, I also took care of the grass and dandelions where I hope to put patio blocks down to keep the firepit safe and level.
Golly, I was just going great guns in the backyard, finally getting around the projects that I’ve been talking about for the past 10 years. I wasn’t looking for a medal or anything: a cold beer after an hour’s work in the sun is its own reward.
Plus, I have at least 30 minutes less grass to cut every week!
So, I was feeling pretty good, especially after seeing those two rows of tiny little green turnip seedlings. It makes having to look at the forest of weeds in my front yard a little easier to ignore.
Until Saturday afternoon when neighbour Shirley Meier says to me: “So Wendy, you were doing so well with your front yard. What happened?”
Thank you Shirley, for that brutal return to reality. Have I mentioned that I am surrounded by neighbours with beautiful lawns?
I may have one two someday when I retire. As I headed out the door this morning at 7 am to go to work, some of them were already outside trimming the verge.
Alas, the weeds by the sidewalk in my front yard are already turning into small trees that grow with seemingly no need for moisture. They come back every year, no matter how often I get rid of them. What is it with weeds around here? I thought we had garden gnomes to take care of this sort of thing.
Only the start of July and I’m already falling behind in the yard and garden department.
As long as I’m keeping up with the weeds, I’ll consider that a victory.
Wendy Coomber is editor of the Ashcroft-Cache Creek Journal.
