Here we are…another month dealing with COVID 19. And though things have loosened up a little bit in my neighborhood (restricted indoor and outdoor dining, no contact book checkout from the public library, limited in-store retail shopping…all of the above done while wearing a mask of course), we are still pretty much staying at home.
Over the last couple of months, I’ve challenged myself to try new things, shift my perspective, change up my environment. If you have been following along with my monthly newsletters, you know that I’ve played with cyanotypes, dabbled with paint printing, and turned our dining room into a reading nook.
Now it was time to tackle gardening…and the above art collage that I created many years ago sums up my philosophy…but a front yard of dandelions was not very appealing…so a change was indeed needed.
We just finished painting the exterior of the house…and with all home projects, once one project is done and looking pretty good, it makes the surroundings look that much shabbier. We have lived here for 18 years…and though the bones of the landscaping that my sister established back then were still good, the details were looking rather…weedy.
If you know me even a little bit, you know I am not a gardener. I certainly enjoy the benefits of a garden…
plenty of photographic images and artistic inspirations…
and no shortage of garden implements, well loved tools and rusty junk for that peaceful vibe…
But when it comes to actually digging in the dirt, I’m lost. I truly believe its an attribute you either have or you don’t (like musical aptitude…which come to think, I don’t have either…)
So I started with tearing out what wasn’t working…ferns that had turned into a tropical jungle of green, half dead lavender hedges and massive grass clumps which served as a comfy bed for neighborhood cats.
Now I was left with a clean slate…and much like a white canvas or a blank page, I didn’t know where to begin. Telephone consultations with my sister and in-person assessment from a long time friend who is a whiz at gardening pointed me in the right direction.
Little by little, I am establishing boundaries, planting new roots, and setting up a framework that is within my skill set to maintain…(mmm…sounds like a good plan for dealing with a pandemic too…)
So far, its going ok…its not something that I’m very good at but that’s fine with me. I don’t think you need to excel in every aspect of your life. Since I was an Economics major in college, I look at it in terms of cost/benefit analysis…what I’m willing to expend to get the result that makes me happy. And just the act of doing something to continually make our home into our haven, gives us hope that we can get through these times and know there is something better yet to come.
____________________________________________________________________
One more thing…I wanted to let you know about a Pop-Up Artist Sale that’s happening at my place on September 12 from 10am - 4pm.
There will be 5 artists with loads of treasures and tons of creative inspiration for sale. There will be plenty of space, fresh air, hand sanitizer station and extra face masks if you forget yours. I hope you’ll stop by…its not too early for holiday shopping…