You Can Kiss my Grass

Been feeling a bit sluggish, a bit off since my return from Florida. It didn't help that I returned to 40-degree, rainy weather after enjoying 80-degree sunny days down south. I also returned to find my lovely new wood floors but also a fine layer of sawdust over every square inch of my house - which translated into 14 hours of cleaning the first day back. And I always have trouble transitioning anyway.

And my right ear is plugged up. Just like last year.

But today it was delightfully warm - if a bit windy (and by windy I mean 'blow the furniture off the deck') - so I forced myself to get up and outside for a spell. Turns out I found some energy within and prepped a whole new garden. I've been visualizing a circular herb garden for some time so today, I made one.

Even though we're die-hard organic here, I admit it's a bit daunting to find weeds about to bloom - BLOOM! - in a garden in which I haven't even set foot yet this season. And with the winds we get, and the weed seeds we alone create on these here 5 acres, well - let's just say it's a constant battle to find the food among the sea of weeds.

Perhaps we should start a dandelion farm. Wait, we already have. Perhaps we should market ourselves as proprietors of organic dandelion greens. We could hang a shingle and run a "pick your own" biz. Hmm - something to consider.

Jonathan helps keep things in perspective by reminding me that dandelions are his favorite flower. No one can argue that when an entire swath of yard is in full bloom... it sure is pretty. It's the spindly, grow-an-inch-every-minute seed stalks that are less than appealing.

Good thing we don't live in the burbs.

I had my laptop on the kitchen counter today so it was handy for research as I prepped my herb garden bed. Turns out - and I've discovered this by accident - letting the grass grow long in the spring helps prevent the spread of crab grass and dandelions by shading them out. It looks a bit unruly, but then so does a yard full of weeds. As I researched the steps of permaculture and sought non-chemical solutions to some other dilemmas (don't ever - EVER - plant spearmint in your garden. EVER. Seriously. E-VER) I also found some delightful websites on all manner of sustainable living tips. I have quite the ambitious list of projects jotted on scratch paper, 95% of which will never come to fruition - but a grrrl can dream ambitious.

We used to have a sign in our lawn that read "You Can Kiss Our Grass - This lawn is chemical-free!" I loved that sign.

It got taken out by the wind.

I'm still sluggish, and my ear is still plugged - and achy, now that I think about it - but it felt oh-so-good to toil over clumps of sod again today.

And remember, if you ever come visit - you can kiss my grass.