HERD ABOUT IT?

by ana grarian

I need some serious time in the garden. Right now I am watching a young Downy Woodpecker (shall I call him Robert?) at the feeder outside my window. The tree is heavy now with leaves and plump green seed pods similar to a Maple tree. I have never learned just what this tree is. Weed like in it’s growth. Perhaps some form of swamp Maple.  It turns out the bunny likes them almost as much as the squirrels.

The birds woke me around 4 am and my insomnia took over. That got me to penciling out figures from work and figuring out that the economic indicators we had been presented with did not jibe with the proposed solutions. Did I mention insomnia? I tried to go back to sleep, but now the bird song was joined by a ringing in my ears that could not be blocked out with ear plugs. I got up and took a shower.

Yesterday I watered the garden and mowed the lawn with the help of a young friend. I love my reel mower. It is so nice to mow with a machine that is almost silent, and safe enough for a kid to use. He could only manage to push it going down hill, but that was OK. I think every gadget I have for holding water was put into use yesterday. Spray bottles, watering cans, garden hose, and I think even a squirt gun. Kids and water. It will keep them busy for hours. I had meant to get my potatoes planted, but as that involved some carpentry to create a new planter; it didn’t get done.

There’s a lot of crazy stuff going on in my world, and yours too. Family with problems, friends losing jobs, schools in turmoil because of these new state tests (or are they federal? I don’t know). Job market is crazy, yet housing expenses keep going up. My bank account is slowly fading too, so I need to look for a second job. What a bother that is.

Gardening, even weeding is a lovely, peaceful, stress relieving past-time. The sun the breeze the birds the smell of the soil taste of the plants the perfume of the flowers soothe me. It has been shown that something in soil, absorbed through the skin eases depression. I need me some nature as physician

We also need some rain. The soil is very dry and at this time of year all those flowering trees and plants are sucking up whatever water they can find. Maybe some rain over the weekend – yes please. But only overnight say the graduation planners. OK I can go with that. My seedling will like it too. Time to pick some kale and get to work – unfortunately not in my garden.