volunteer weed puller...

...at the Botanical Gardens this afternoon. As a result of a bulk email sent out to Master Gardening people who are part of a faithful group who will pitch in with free labor when the need arises. There were quite a few who were  in attendance last week and over the weekend for a fall festival/plant sale. But not me, due to traveling.

I had signed on as one who would show up one day a month, on a specific week, to help with maintenance of a recently developed Camellia Garden. Wishing my dad was around to see it, as it is something I think he would enjoy. On a shaded hill, with lots of young pine trees growing above hundreds of varieties of camellias. Donated by a family who has the resources to buy them and pay someone to plant, along with a nice irrigation system to keep them healthy. Attractive, neatly designed, inviting, with  curving paths wending down the slope and sturdy teak benches placed around for visitors to sit and reflect.

And now, a really nice fountain, surrounded by pavers, with curving benches securely placed for visitors to enjoy the peace and solitude of the surroundings. Surprisingly, remarkably, ironically nearly at the back loading dock of the local Sam's Club, that can be found a half mile through the dense undergrowth and woods in a busy shopping area. But quiet and serene with the satisfying, quieting, blurbling sounds of the fountain, tidily placed out in a little spot in the Camellia Garden, nestled under the pines, where all those blooming shrubs are peacefully thriving mere feet from a busy thoroughfare.

We found some weeds mischeviously growing up in the pine straw beds that needed attention. And my co-volunteer and I spent about forty five minutes pulling, digging, tidy-ing up. Then I said that I thought it only fair, as well as charitable that we should leave some for the people who will come by next week for their opportunity to 'do good'. So there will be a different group/pair of volunteers from week to week who will take a brief respite from the busyness of life, to pull a few weeds and enjoy a bit of serenity in the Secret Garden.