overdoing it, and paying for it

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last couple of days my brother and I have been trying to do yardwork, pulling out the dandelions so then we can trim the grass. Its sad, but my brother who had knee surgery not that long ago, is still on street drug levels of painkillers, and has little or no cartilage in any of his joints, is actually in better shape than I am.

I'm in pain, exhausted but unable to sleep, and its setting off PTSD, dysphoria, and depression.

Sighs ... this too shall pass, I suppose ...

Comments

Another harbinger of spring???

Sara Selvig's picture

LIke robins, dandelions are another harbinger of spring to be anxiously awaited through those last snows of winter. On the other hand, IMHO robins are sufficient, and a good dose of Weed-B-Gone or Scotts is much easier on the knees. For those who dislike the chemical approach, a tool like "Fiskars Deluxe Stand-up Weeder" takes a lot of the pain out of removing the beasties.

That said, the barn door has been left open and the horse has escaped. So I offer a special order of healing hugs and wishes for speedy resolution of the pain.

Sara

Sara


Between the wrinkles, the orthopedic shoes, and nine decades of gravity, it is really hard to be alluring. My icon, you ask? It is the last picture I allowed to escape the camera ... back before most BC authors were born.

Satisfying ...

Sara Selvig's picture

Just so you know ... When each offending dandelion is discharged from the Fisker's grasp into the waiting basket, Fiskers gives the very satisfying sound of a round being chambered in a pump-action shotgun! A fitting end to each intruder. :)

Sara


Between the wrinkles, the orthopedic shoes, and nine decades of gravity, it is really hard to be alluring. My icon, you ask? It is the last picture I allowed to escape the camera ... back before most BC authors were born.

Why oh why

mountaindrake's picture

Why destroy a valuable plant like that the pretty yellow flowers for wine and the young leaves for salad greens, by the way they have more than twice the iron of spinach and taste better. Have a good day and enjoy life.

Have a good day and enjoy life.

I was

Maddy Bell's picture

Wondering about the plant hate myself. Dandelions, Buttercups, Clovers, Daisies - and a myriad of others offer not just visual delight but add to the biodiversity and health of all of us. By their removal you end up with a bland expanse devoid of bees and other insects and yes, even sustainable irrigation.

Stop this racism at once!

(sorry - got a bit carried away there!)


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Madeline Anafrid Bell

Let Me Farmsplain It

Adjacent to the farmstead of my youth were two weed patches. The two-acre patch to the south was totally taken over by Canada Thistle. The three-acre patch to the north was totally taken over by Leafy Spurge. What some feel are delightful greenery, I condemn as noxious weeds. A weed on a farm is a plant that is growing where it shouldn't be and I have that credo in my DNA.

Thistle and spurge not only choke out revenue-producing crops, they foul the beater bars in the cylinder of a combine and can also create costly repairs on other farm implements. Also for a bare-foot youth -- a patch of thistles is no treat.

For the last two decades, I lived on five acres, two of which I kept almost totally natural. I moved after my neighbor took a bulldozer to the side of the hill next to me so he could have a mowable backyard. He totally ruined what many had told me was a $million dollar view. On the wild part of my land, I actually planted wildflowers including some thistle, but I controlled the thistle so that it didn't take over the area. If you've ever envied those people who live in communities with pools, hot tubs, and huge homes, consider the type-A personalities that live there and thank your lucky-stars that you don't.

My lawn now is right-sized for my age. It takes about twenty-five minutes to mow. I'm only one of three on my entire block of about twenty homes that uses land chemicals. What the others do or don't do, doesn't bother me. We take great care to plant enough flowers for the butterflies and bees. Half of the block is residential. I'm within a block of three top restaurants and two brew-pubs.

I love ortho products. I also understand what farm chemicals have done to us. It creates internal conflict, but no desire to change.

Jill

Angela Rasch (Jill M I)

Oh, no!

erica jane's picture

You have encountered a Dottie!

You use a box of Healing Huggles!

It's Super Effective!

(I hope) Feel better, hon! I hope this at least made you smile.

~And so it goes...