Weeding to overcome the blues

I've been home in the New York for 2 weeks and return to Ireland tomorrow where I am on an extended assignment. Previous trips here, I've been ready to go back, excited about the job (still another couple of years before I come back to the States).

I had to do some shopping, withdraw some money from the bank and a heavy feeling overcame me... I realized I was not looking forward to leaving. In fact, it was rather depressing.

My eyes scanned the yard as I slowly walked to the door, down go my purse and bags on the front steps - and I started crawling around through the dirt - WEEDING. I did this for two hours.... it felt so good. So many flowers were out, the hostas were incredibly lush, the bright white lilies giving the yard a lovely scent, finding a couple of castors that seeded themselves, a few D. Wrightii that I'll transplant tomorrow before I leave, several brug buds, daylilies galore (although many of the tags faded so I'll never be able to trade them as named lilies).... it was a sense of grounding - that at least I can leave the yard decent enough for Doug to maintain the rest of the summer so I can come back next spring, do some heavy duty weeding, change things around and do the corrections I should have done this year.

Does anyone else weed to overcome the blues?

Yes! There is nothing quite so satisfying when I feel sad or need to work something out in my mind. As my hands work, my mind wanders. Things come into perspective... big problems seem smaller. If I'm lucky, I'll catch a whiff of some fragrant bloom I would have missed had I not been down in the beds weeding. It's wonderful therapy.

I think part of it was the guilt I have felt about leaving a fairly complicated yard to someone who pretty much limits efforts to mowing and trimming hedges (I was shocked when I returned to hundreds possibly thousands of maple propellers turned evil monster trees)... I think I got the worst of it cleaned up and will do some more tomorrow. I had great intentions to garden over in Ireland, just not enough time - so I got my weeding fix for the day here. Never thought I'd admit to preferring weeding to traveling. :)

When you are familiar with all your plants, it's hard to imagine that someone else can't tell the difference between the weeds and the garden plants. When you think about it, one person's weed is another person's treasure. I know that my husband has learned to ask before he pulls anything. Better to err on the side of caution.

HI there Ms Weezie
Speaking of weeding, do you
know if there is a forum that
shows seedlings? I know about
the pictures, but they usually
focus on the blooms and flowers.
Would love closeup of "sprouts"
don't want to pull up flower thinking its a weed..

You're right, sbarr, I find it to be great therapy as well. It is a wonderful sense of accomplishment to see the beds looking their best-- it allows one the illusion of control over at least one aspect of life!

Hi, Deller. Terry has encouraged us to post photos of seedlings to the PDB, just for that reason. Of course, seedlings that sprout up in the garden look quite different than those that are started indoors, but I should make more of an effort to take photos of my seedlings and post them.

I'll bet every one of us could point out each weed in our flower beds, but I know, I for one, would be reluctant to pluck anything out of a flower bed in a different area... and remember, a weed is just a plant that grows where you don't want it to.

thanks wz, your a hoot n sweetheart.
I'm sending you a email got a
story for you..
deller