Into the Weeds...

Our yard is FULL of weeds this year. The drought last year and the heavy rains washing the soil away this spring have combined to give us our worst yard yet.

Yesterday was an absolutely beautiful day. The temperature never went out of the 70's and the sky was clear. I determined I would set a goal of weeding my hosta bed at minimum when the sun started to shade the back yard.

I hit my back yard and my hosta bed at about 3:30pm. Gloves on hands, bags to dispose of weeds, garden tool to pry out those nasty dandelion plants, I was armed and ready to do battle.

I learned these lessons as I weeded the afternoon away:

1. I have grass growing in my flower beds and weeds in the yard.  What in the world is up with that!!
2. I knew there were seasons for certain things to grow. Did you know that applies to weeds as well?  I found myself pulling up weeds that were older and that I was familiar with. Then I found myself pulling up newer varieties and thinking to myself..."What fresh madness is this?"
3. Putting bricks to line the edge of the hosta bed was a great idea...except...those pesky dandelions think that tiny hole in the side of the brick is just the perfect place to grow and they are not easy to get out of that hole.
4. Poison ivy loves flower beds. It keeps trying to grow up the front of our home in the front flower bed and now it has taken residence in my hydrangea bed on the back of the house. Do you suppose it has traveled all the way under the house from the front to the back just to test my patience??? 
5. Does that verse in the Bible say, "By the sweat of thy brow shalt thou have weedless flower beds and yard"?
6. I love being outside when it is in the 70 degree range and the shade is over you. Everything just feels right, even if I'm pullin' weeds.

Those are my lessons so far. 

After finishing those two flower beds, I was pulling weeds from the patio along the back of our house headed down the hill. It may be that Claude just finished watching a series about the Civil War that he DVR'd, I'm not sure but I think that may be why I felt like I was on Sandi's (a.k.a. Sherman's) March to the Sea. Such silliness.

Now, I am watching my arms and face to see where that poison ivy will first erupt. I tried to be careful and not rub or scratch any part of my body. At 7:30pm when I came inside I immediately went and took a hot, soapy shower.  We'll just watch and see if any lovely blisters pop out today...