Mary Lee Minor
Over the Garden Fence

May, 2011

 

        As your yard continues  its "squish, squish, squishing"   when   you walk across the lawn, you can reflect on the year when

 

February flooding led to March squalls entering like a lion and exiting to make way for April showers,  which gave way to May

 

and hours of showers.  There were some rainbows that came after the blowing and howling, and thunder.

 

        This puts the world slightly behind.  Gray skies continue.  Yet we tend to run out as soon as the spitting lets up in a fit of

 

hope, opening soils to tuck in plants.  I will say that the thistle are cordial about being removed, and those horrible versions

 

of wild garlic come up bulb and all if you grab it right at soil line.  Small joys when you think about how all the dandelions

 

screaming from clay spots, sandy soils, edges of beds. from the midst of iris rhizomes, and at the very base of daylilies. Daring

 

scoundrels!

 

       We are lured by a lushness, thinking that one morning all the pests will be gone.  That won't happen.  Ground ivy lurks,

 

blossoming its sorta sweet lavender blue eensy blooms.  Do not allow them to beguile you.  Stay with the program of removal.

 

        The urge to bring out the Roundup surges within me. 

 

        Meanwhile a list of " things to do today" hangs near my bulletin board, to keep me from going off the deep end.

 

        Perhaps the notions could spell some relief for you, so I will share them.

 

        Say something silly.  (You will have no trouble doing this, especially if you are hard of hearing.)  Laugh until it hurts.

 

(Put a pair of underwear on your head if the joke teller in your family fails you.)  Take a risk. ( That could be doing something

 

you did not plan to do, at the very last minute.)  Tell a secret.  (No, not the one your friend entrusted you with, but your own

 

weird one---we all have them, and some go back 50 years.)  Sing out loud. ( Kick up the volume on the car radio and belt out the

 

lyrics to one of your favorites.) "Old Time Rock and Roll" usually sends me into a song storm.

 

        Rock the boat. ( I wish I had a boat in my wet back yard. But this may mean to bring an idea to a group that is way crazy.

 

Express yourself honestly, and scare folks. )  Shake things up. ( Try a smoothie with nothing but a combination of all the fruit you

 

can find.)  It may mean to reorganize cupboards and drawers.  But  shaking thins up can be accomplished by having dessert first.  Flirt with

 

disaster. ( Stand on the top of the ladder as you clear out  gutters.  Buy a batch of lottery tickets.  Turn right on a red light where

 

it asks you not to turn on red.  Buy something frivolous. (This is soooo easy.  I have earned more points in this category. The

 

garage sale  purchases yesterday will prove it.)

 

        Color outside the lines. (What lines?)  I am thinking of mixing up several containers of enamel paint and spritzing my sun-bleached

 

patio umbrella with three colors, just to add some life to the scrungy navy shade it displays.   Cause a scene.  ( If you choose the head of

 

lettuce at the bottom of the super market display  and bring several other 'heads' down, this counts.  Same with oranges, but its more colorful.)

 

      Order dessert. Get carried away.  Aren't these the same thing?

 

Make life good.

         

 

 

Take a risk