pulling weeds...

... is one of my most satisfying forms of therapy. I think pulling undesirables as well as digging holes is a great way to work off stress. Productive and harmless. A hard combination to beat. Gratifyingly destructive without actually doing any serious damage.

I've done more 'yard work' in the past two hours than I have accomplished in the past  month. Partially due to feeling like I pretty much lost the entire month of July, having spent all my loose time (like loose change) in medical facilities of one sort or another. With The Man who was admitted, though he would not actually admit that he was having a problem of the magnitude worthy of admission as an inpatient. Between hospital and rehab, that was about three weeks devoted to sitting and observing, when I was not using employment as a distraction.

So nothing got done on the home front in the past month. Late this afternoon, I put  my shovel and work gloves in the wheelbarrow and tooled across the street to pull weeds in the area around the sign at the golf course. I have not taken the time in weeks to get any maintenance done on my little planting project. Weeds have taken over, due to plentiful rainfall, plus consistent watering from the irrigation system.

It was mulched when I planted back in the spring, but lots of stuff was in the area before the guys spread the wood chips.Growing there in the mulch: sprouted weed seeds, crab grass, acorns that think they can become mighty oak trees, grass that has crept into the bed.  I took my shovel, gardening gloves and pulled up the wee oak trees, briers, grass, smilax, privet, assorted mystery weeds. Had to quit when it got too dark to see, but feel like it was very productive.

The things I planted, most of which came from my yard, are doing pretty well. Yellow rose of Texas I got from my mom years ago. Stokes aster from a friend. Roses that have been blooming for weeks, though I expected them to die, when I rescued from trash at work. Some butterfly bush that has bloomed and done really well. Several crepe myrtle I did not expect to survive transplanting when they were unceremoniously jerked out of the ground. Colorful lantana I bought for pocket change on the discount table at wallyworld. Looking good, due to plenteous watering and a good dose of time-release fertilizer when they went in the ground..