Next door neighbor comments on how she would like to plant too, and would take me up on my offer to give her stuff from my garden to plant in hers. And, she, being a lady after my own heart, instantly agreed on a time, today, and showed up bang on time dressed for gardening. I had pulled some pachysandra and some iris divisions for her, and we got to work planting them.
Then one thing led to another, and I got out the loppers and my Japanese pruning saw, and we took down a hideous eight foot privet planted by the cheapo builders, and dragged the remains out to the woods, feeling victorious.
Then another neighbor stopped by and said, oh, I would have helped (the friend's husband having declined to take part on the grounds of work..) and I agreed that it would be nice if neighbor cut the remaining stumps into oblivion with his electric saw.
Which brought out the husband, y chromosome in evidence as to competitive spirit, who proceeded to help saw,
until ALL the shrubs lining their front path, ugly things that we've all hated for years, were GONE.
We plan to claim they were dead if the HOA argues with us. Which is pretty much true, since they were full of dead wood. The front now looks much bigger, a lot better, and neighbor and I are planning more gardening exploits.
Just sayin. It was one little thyme plant that triggered this explosion of activity. The men involved did acknowledge that the women, armed with one little saw and one lopper, had done most of the work ahead of time. So that was good.
It takes a village to plant a couple of herbs, I guess.
In our house we call this whole process the galloping ick. It's how one small thing leads to a very large and never-before considered project.
ReplyDeleteA very productive day by all accounts and a nice canvas to replant the way you and the neighbours want to.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great story! Congratulations to all on your group achievement, but especially to the two women who started the ball rolling!
ReplyDeleteI know very well how one tiny little outdoor task can lead to another, and the next thing you know you're either looking at the entire former contents of your shed now piled up outside the shed for "reorganizing" or else you're on your way to the lumberyard. Again.
This is why I have learned to make VERY short task lists at this time of year :)
I see greenery, flowers, people in shirtsleeves. Meanwhile it snowed again here this morning. I have green envy...Jean in Cowtown
ReplyDelete....and leaves on your trees - LEAVES!!! That does it. I'm going to bash in the walls of my igloo and move south! - Jean, again, in Cowtown
ReplyDeleteWell I hope the HOA has nothing to say because now you can have it looking the way you want it to look.
ReplyDeleteIt is true that the smallest of things lead to bigger things that is why the best thing you can do sometimes is make a start' who knows where you will end up.