Dirt Therapy

One of my very happy yellow roses in bloom.

Apple blossom complete with bee at work!

Today was a bit of a tough day; I’m not quite sure why I’ve been so uncomfortable—I’m probably in deep denial about needing to go to my back doctor and get in and have my annual neurotomies, and I really should go see a rheumatologist about the persistent ache in my hands (and hoping the pain in the hips is related to the pain in my hands). So I wasn’t terribly productive in the yard today, though I did cultivate some nasty baby weeds and pick up some big mistletoe branches that fell due to the high winds. Consequently, tonight I’m not feeling so rewarded by my lack of productivity.

There are two things I like best about doing yard work. The first has been the opportunity to learn how to take care of plants and trees—thanks YouTube! To the best of my physical abilities I pruned my roses this past fall—and pruned them properly—and I’m reaping the benefits by finally having abundant, beautiful roses.  Time will tell if the aggressive pruning I did on the grape vines will result in edible fruit, how many blackberries I end up harvesting in July, and if my nectarine and peach trees give lots of fruit.

What I like best about yard work (something I call “dirt therapy” for lack of a better term) is it gives me lots of time to think. Sometimes thinking can be dangerous, sometimes productive. I’ve had three main life goals I’ve been thinking about, thoughts and wishes that are motivating me.

The first of course is the hope I can someday buy myself a mini-horse as therapy, both mental and physical.  Being involuntarily weaned from being owned by horses is probably contributing greatly to my overall dissatisfaction with life. I accept that I shouldn’t be riding anymore, but I miss just having a horse to brush, care for, and talk to.  But no one can help me with that one—I have to find the money, it’s on ME.

The second goal is pulling my house and yard together to the point where I can entertain family and people I care about. I’d love to be able to open my front door (which needs to be replaced or refinished…) and invite people in to a nicely furnished house, with a nice, inviting backyard and deck. The ghetto-ness of my house starts right at the driveway with weeds and a truckload of garbage that just doesn’t seem to get hauled off. I guess there is hoarder’s treasure somewhere in there. 

Face it, I’m old enough that I should be hosting holiday dinners and family get-togethers.  And someday, when this house* and yard is whipped into shape, I’d like to have host a family reunion of sorts, a party bringing together the descendants of James McCoey and Mary Ann Welsh, my paternal great-grandparents on my father’s mother’s side.  James and Mary Ann (who were divorced, and it was some sort of family scandal, because my grandmother wouldn’t talk about it at all) now have great-great-great grandchildren, and there are actually quite a few of us still in this area. I know I’d have a houseful, but I really want to reconnect with those loved ones I’ve simply not seen in forever, and meet their children and grandchildren (some of whom I’ve not met…). It’s not going to happen this summer, because I’ve not yet figured out how to rid myself of the ghetto deck and opossum condo that doubles as a broke-down hot tub.

The third “something” is figuring out a way to give to people who need just a tiny bit of help to keep them going. I’m not talking about throwing money at people—I have none (and if I did, look at the second paragraph again to see where my money would go!). I’m talking about doing things—a little something that might make someone’s life easier. Be it as small as coming in and doing some light housework/yard work, I know what a difference it would make. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a “club” (for lack of better term) of KCHS graduates who would be willing to get together and just DO something for someone? Put our pennies together, or our abilities, and just take on a small project that would brighten someone’s day and maybe make their life easier? Like a 4-H for grown-ups I guess!

* Whipping this house together means fresh paint outside and inside, new carpet in two bedrooms, new flooring in two bathrooms and the kitchen, remodel of the bathrooms [specifically new vanities], remodel of the kitchen, a dining room set [including a sideboard for storing nice stuff] and a television wall unit with shelving. In other words, it means pretty much a new house and furnishings.