Honey-do

 It is hot! But it is not August. Or for that matter, October. Especially since retiring, I have come to really enjoy gardening and just being out in the yard. I can't take the heat and when I sweat, I know it is time to get on the couch, but overall, I like yard work.  It makes for a good reason to get up early. 

As long as I don't use power tools at the break of day, the neighbors are fine with it too. And the yard is looking mighty green these days. New life. That is also a good reminder that God still wants life going on here.

Since February, my typical month for living in the yard, things have gotten a little ahead of me. Plants don't stop growing even if I stop getting out to tend to them. 

Roger and I made this wonderful list in January. We listed all of the things that we hoped we would accomplish around the olde homestead before Christmas rolled around again. I called it "Roger's Honey-do List" because some of those things needed the cheerleader (me) involved so that his strength could accomplish what needed to be done.  

For one, we have 35 years worth of bromeliad growth. I have managed them over the years - well, contained them, perhaps. If I could catch him just before or just after a run, then I could get 30 minutes, not more, of pulling out of him. That would equal 5 cans filled, and then he was finished - out of cans! (Never mind that I had black plastic bags at the ready!) 

And that's how life went, until we made our little list this year. Finally....were we going to get dead trees removed and replant something else over the bromeliads - bromeliads which house mosquitos all summer.  I somehow doubted it, but it was fun to dream.

Interesting how Roger has avoided that rather long and detailed Honey-do list.  I know he did not plan it this way, but I guess that would be another way of saying "I won!"  He has the joy of Heaven and he wasted not a second pulling out bromeliads.   His philosophy of "if God wants it out, he will drop it and I will pick it up and take it to the street."......actually worked. 

For him.

Maybe it is because my dad grew up on a farm, that we were taught not to pay for something you can darned well do for yourself. Maybe it is because he believed that hard work kept kids out of trouble.  Maybe it is because he loved the great outdoors and nurturing things to grow that we learned to love it too. .... I just do not know, but I do have this itch to have a green thumb. 

Landscaping is artistic. This should be easy. 

But those crazy bromeliads were just going to sit there because I knew from the depths of my being that I was not, emphasis on NOT, going to stick my arms down into those creepy looking things where who knows what might be living. I knew they had a shallow root system and I knew they had little prickles that would scratch up your arms, and that they stink because they hold water, and leaves, and decomposition in that little whatever you call it that holds the flower.  Yes...pay someone to do a job you can not do for yourself. This definitely qualified! 

God sends comfort and He sends blessings and my goodness, He sends help when you need it. My help came in the form of two delightful young men, one who just graduated from high school and the other on his way. Both could have been at the beach on this wonderful summer day, but no, they came out bright and early to tackle my bromeliads.  Young men with a heart of service, who are smart as can be, but also know how to use the strength of their arms and backs to do an icky job.  Rare breed, I must say!  Accolades to moms and dads who spend childhood years teaching, because this does not come naturally. It takes practice. And such gentlemen too! 

And fast....brothers, working together, never a harsh or smart-alecky  word between them, teaming up to make fast work of it. And they cleaned up too! What an enjoyable morning for me! I was so blessed!

Roger's Lesson:  I told you, there is always someone who will do the job you think has to be done. You would not have wanted to shortchange these young men or rob them of the ability to bless someone, would you?  

Oh, I can hear him now! But he knew these guys and while he would not have let them come work when he could still think about pulling those plants out himself, I know he is mighty glad that they were here today. He thought they were pretty swell fellas himself!

And yes, I gave them some green....but they did not ask for it. 

It is breezing up - I am going to go and sit in my non-mosquito garden for a while. 
Maybe a red cardinal will come to visit!