Friday, October 2, 2009

Getting Stuff Done

Today I set out to get some things done in the gardens. I had great plans that soon went awry. First order of the day was to finally weed eat around the back door and veggie garden. After all those wonderful veggies were harvested and either eaten, frozen, or given away I sort of neglected that area. It showed! The grass and weeds had a field day while I was occupied with other projects (read that blogging and work).

First chore, dig that weed eater out of the garden shed; second, string the electric cord from the deck to back yard; third, weed eat. It all went well, to a point. That point being when the weed eater stopped working. Since I am prone to get it unplugged while working, I checked my connection. Nope, it was plugged in. Ah Ha, there were vines wrapped around the shaft. I got out my trusty pocket knife and cut the tightly wrapped vines from the weed eater. "Now!," I thought as I hit the 'on' switch. Nothing happened. Hmmm, "Well maybe it came unplugged up at the house", I thought to myself, as I headed up the hill.

There was nothing wrong with the deck connection. Jim dismantled the weed eater and did some tinkering with the engine and wiring. After all that it still didn't work. We've had it for awhile, so time for another one I guess. When Jim apologized for not getting it fixed, I told him not to worry, I had shrubbery to plant. Of course I had to decide just where the shrubs were going to be planted. (I've only had all summer to figure all that out.)

I enlisted Jim's help in deciding where the babies should be planted. It is easier to please a spouse before you dig the hole than after. I learned that one the hard way.

After the 'where to plant' decision was mutually agreed on, I had to find my shovel. I couldn't. I did find the other shovel, the flat edge one, which was okay, because I had a chore to do that required the flat edge shovel. I did that chore while trying to remember where I had put the pointed shovel. (Senior Moment)

Upon remembering where the preferred shovel was (the compost pile), I set about planting the shrubbery. All were grown from seed and raised in nursery pots for the last two years. By late afternoon I had transplanted a red barberry bush, four Rose-of-Sharon bushes, and about six hosta.

I also found time to cut some wild grapevines and honey suckle from my forsythia bushes; and I pulled that pesky English Ivy from places I do not want it to grow.

It may be rainy tomorrow, but I got most of the pressing chores done today. If it doesn't rain, I have seed to collect from begonia, cleome, impatiens, and other flowering plants. If it does rain, we may just go on over to Home Depot and look at weed eaters.

3 comments:

  1. As a gardener myself, I truly understand the frustration of not being able to finish the plans that we have decided on. And, in the change of plans, we discover beautiful things that have not been noticed in a long time. I am sorry that I am pulling the tomatoes out of the ground, and picking the last cabbage. Summer is over....happy gardening.

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  2. wow...you accomplished "much."
    Blessings, andee

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  3. Joyce, you all got quite a bit done! I'm impressed. I love how you describe your 'meanderings' and 'setbacks' while searching for, tinkering with and just generally going with the flow of your chores. This sounds much like life at my house, only sometimes I'm not nearly as gracious! LOL!

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