The Gift of Gardening

We all do it. We at least try to do it. We so want to do it. It is free after all and what is better to spread? We hope it's contagious and the person we infect goes on to infect someone else. We're fanatical about it. We want to take over the world. Muahahaha!

Ok, back to reality. Every gardener would love to give the gift of gardening to someone who doesn't, uh, wether they show interest or not. lol. We're not normally pushy people, we just like to share.

I'd love to start a 'pay it forward' campaign. Give someone 3 plants, they have to give one of those plus 2 more to someone else, who in turn gets to keep 2 and pass on one they were given plus 2 more. Ok, as schemeing goes, you can see how I pretty much stink at it, because really, what's in it for them? (We know the answer)

I really do wonder if I could suck more people in by giving them plants as gifts though. What would a non-gardener do with it? Would they let it shrivel up and die? Water it once a week but otherwise forget it exists? Or find they really can grow things and didn't know it? Everyone wants the freshest produce they can buy, but what if you showed them they can get the freshest thing there is right from their own back yard?

Nevermind, I already know the answer: "I don't have time to garden!"

Besides, who am I kidding - I can't even manage to get my own kids sick with that bug. (It's not like I haven't purposely tried to sneeze it on 'em!) Hey, it was just a thought.

Would you give a plant as a gift even if you knew the person didn't garden? Oh, the possibilities!

Ragweed Woes & Woodpecker Wanderings

Ragweed - it's everywhere. For some reason it exploded in my flower beds this year, and you just can't get rid of the crap. Maybe it's the weather we've had, maybe its finally gotten the army coordinated enough to swallow the world. Obviously, its harassed the Goldenrod to fall into flank behind. I don't really mind the Goldenrod so much. It doesn't have nasty pollen, though that myth is well circulated, and it is kinda pretty.

I have a beautiful woodpecker that visits daily, but let me explain the visit; It consists of him first checking the bird feeder D made attatched to the side of the house beside the sliding glass door. Now, there better be something good in there for him or I'm going to hear about it! If he finds nothing to his liking, it's straight to the living room window to hang on the screen, give me a good view of his butt and stare at me for some length of time. (And I'm glad I can't speak bird because I'm betting he's getting out a long string of bird-cuss). If this doesn't produce my attention, well, maybe some banging on the window sill will!

D realized the other day that he's begun to bring friends, and lots of them! I must have at least 5 different species hanging on my half-maple every day now. Absolutely wonderful to watch, but God forbid he ever teach them the 'screen hang-and-moon' technique!

The really bizarre thing is that the purple finches and chickadees will not come near the feeders if the woodpeckers are hanging out. Maybe the red headed repeated some rude gossip.

On a way off subject: I was hanging out at UKBob's and something he wrote reminded me of the Fuller Brush Man. Do you remember him? No? Don't want to admit your age, eh? ;)
I remember my grandmother buying all sorts off cool things from his magic case. It seemed he could pack anything in that sucker! And the Charlie Chip Man! (you can actually still order Charlie Chips from the net!) I simply adored those tins, and the chips weren't too darn bad either. I haven't thought about either of those door to doorers in years. Thanks for bringing the memories back Bob! Ah, the good old days.

TV Gardens

It started with peeping locally. Yes, I admit, I am a peeper!
Ok, ok I'm a starer. How can you not? People have the most interesting gardens.

There is a large property not too far from us that has the most beautiful pond. Granted, it was full of weeds and cattails and the owners had plopped a rickety porch swing on a dilapidated sort-of deck. But still, in my eyes, it was beautiful. I wished for years that they'd actually do something with it.

We passed that pond by accident this summer. I sucked in my breath so fast I almost choked. What they had done! Simply gorgeous! Pond cleaned, waterfall, new deck and furniture, trees, shrubs, sculptures, stone work, mulch, fountain - breathtaking! Absolutely breathtaking.

The car came to an immediate halt. The kids stared, D stared, my eyes got huge and all I could get out was a muttered, "Holy shit."

In one year it had become a magazine cover. Amazing. We've purposely taken the long route around a few times this summer just so we could sit and stare. I wish I had a camera. You really can't get across how absolutely fabulous it is with mere words.

Anyway, I've noticed how my attention has moved to seeing the gardens around me (possibly from sheer boredom?) to gardens on TV. Now, I don't mean those 'We'll show you how to transform your garden to one Cher would be happy with in only 30 minutes with a backhoe and fifty thousand dollars' shows. I mean shows like Wife Swap.

They flit a view of the front or back yards occasionally. My first thought is always, "Why don't they do something with all that space?" Maybe there's a shrub or mum here or there, but it seems mostly chain link fences, lawn or bare sculptures, boulders and water features.

Ok, so quit your screaming at me through the screen! I realize that everyone on earth doesn't share my gardening passions. Or maybe they don't have the time, money or energy. If you're a farmer, well, there just aren't enough hours in the day. One paycheck and 11 kids, not enough money. Laundry, dishes, housecleaning, job, cooking - not enough energy.

I notice people's lawns everywhere on TV now. And they really are everywhere. I love Junk Brothers, but I usually only notice peoples' lawns when they drop the stuff off. When did I really start paying attention?

But I get it. I really do get it. There is a certain element missing for these people that have bare lawns. But I still can't help wishing they'd just do something.

Tree trashing

Ok, so the blogger problems weren't me. Yay!

There's been a lot of chatter lately about how people seem to be in one camp or the other: Tree Hugger, or Tree Hater.

When I first moved into this house, some 20 odd years ago, there were 5 sugar maples in the yard, all over 100 years old. One succumbed to an ice storm; I cried. One cracked right straight up the trunk, from root to tip in a wind storm and had to be cut down; I weeped. Two were destroyed by the tornado; I was a blubbering mess. The one remaining (well, more of a half tree after the tornado) worries me. I know it will have to come down at some point, but I'll put a finger grasp of steel on it for a while yet.

I love trees, but there are obviously some that just don't belong in my yard or town, much less my country.

My hate tree: Sumac. I've seen people purposely plant that damn thing in their yard. Now WHY for God's sake?! Please give me one believable reason why it should be in anyone's yard? Is there some rare genus I'm not aware of that they're trying to save? Some specific insect or animal that only uses sumac to survive?

My love tree: White Birch. (But only in the correct environment for it) Is there anything else as lovely?

I really don't think people absolutley have to draw some invisible line between being a lover or hater of trees. I believe most of us hover somewhere in a happy medium between the two. Some trees must stay if we really expect to have a living planet for the continuation of life. For the same reason, some species must be contained to their natural habitat.

Lover/Hater/Middle Of The Roader. Which are you?

I knew it wouldn't last

Ok, now I think I've totally screwed up my blog. Figures. I just can't leave well enough alone!
:)

A friend of D's asked him to bring me some dwarf douglas firs after their house burnt in late July. They were in a nice raised bed by the front door that was going to be bulldozed.

I wasn't sure they were going to make it.
The poor things were singed and completely dried out when we planted them. Wow, what a difference a little TLC can make! They've perked up nicely.
And they're so cute!