Psycho-Babble Social Thread 254983

Shown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

My garden

Posted by Dinah on August 28, 2003, at 7:59:48

I'm going to have to do most of it myself, I guess. Because I just can't find anyone who'll do it and do it well and who has an insurance certificate. I guess the ones with insurance don't want to mess with small jobs. (Big to me, small to a landscape company I guess.)

So I'm scaling back the garden considerably. I'm going to put up a trellis about a foot from the fence all around, and plant scent bearing vines. Then I'm going to plant scent bearing trees a few feet in front. And that's it on the two sides. In the back, I'll try to plant some scent bearing and flowering shrubs as well. I'm in the mood for sweet smells.

I think I'll remove the blocks under my water faucets and try my hand at putting down concrete. And I'm going to try to get my waterfall to the left of my patio up and working. I'm also thinking of putting a small fountain to the right of my patio, on the concrete part I'm going to make under the faucet (because the drip is washing away the soil).

What do you guys think? Is that sensory overkill? Two sounds of running water and a backyard of almost nothing but strongly scented plants (not flowering all at once, I hope).

 

Re: On the other hand

Posted by Dinah on August 28, 2003, at 8:02:16

In reply to My garden, posted by Dinah on August 28, 2003, at 7:59:48

I have to consider whether the lack of sleep has brought on a mildly hypomanic episode (which I really love). In which case I'll end up with a pile of garden soil, plants sitting in pots, and no energy whatsoever to finish the project.

 

Re: On the other hand » Dinah

Posted by Penny on August 28, 2003, at 8:10:16

In reply to Re: On the other hand, posted by Dinah on August 28, 2003, at 8:02:16

Sounds beautiful to me! Maybe you'll really get on a roll with this and finish things up more quickly than you can imagine.

And if you're feeling good - accept and enjoy it - don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

;-)

P

 

Re: My garden

Posted by Tabitha on August 28, 2003, at 12:07:34

In reply to My garden, posted by Dinah on August 28, 2003, at 7:59:48

That sounds really beautiful Dinah. Just try to estimate how many hours it will take, think through all the parts of the work, and ask yourself if you really want to do all that.

I'm surprised you can't find a gardener to help. Maybe not a landscaping company, but how about a maintenance gardener? Around here those types of workers will put in plants too. A handyman might help with the structural stuff.

Good luck.

 

Re: On the other hand » Penny

Posted by Dinah on August 28, 2003, at 20:28:50

In reply to Re: On the other hand » Dinah, posted by Penny on August 28, 2003, at 8:10:16

I wish my husband felt that way. He's gone from complaining I'm doing too little to complaining I'm doing too much. I think the problem is that he wants me to be more like an employee and do what I'm told.

But to be fair, he's under a lot of stress at work right now and while he's doing wonderfully there, he's grumpy at home because of it.

 

Re: My garden » Tabitha

Posted by Dinah on August 28, 2003, at 20:36:30

In reply to Re: My garden, posted by Tabitha on August 28, 2003, at 12:07:34

The trouble is the insurance. No one steps foot on our property without it. Certificate and all. Most of the smaller places don't have it.

But I think (despite what my husband says) that I'm being very reasonable. I'm doing it in stages, only ordering a little soil at a time. (Last time I had to resort to a "Please take some dirt" sign when I pooped out.) Everything is in stages. All I *have* to do right now is the stuff that involves the grass, and filling in the soil under where the grass goes.

This is because I decided to have almost nothing *but* grass in the back yard, with a few small trees along the fence, and the trellis of vines. I keep scaling back and scaling back the plans in view of future upkeep, although it means more work now. At least for the moment I've got the energy. I know I won't have the energy to consistently garden.

Soooo.... The only real garden will be the ones along the back of the house where the fountains will go.

Eeesshhh. I'm so tired. And I had a very loud "discussion" in the back yard with husband. And I've got to do tonight the work I didn't do during the day because I was moving mud.

But I will confess, I'm not anxious, and only a little agitated. If I work outside six hours a day, I just might feel better.

 

Re: My garden

Posted by Tabitha on August 28, 2003, at 23:06:15

In reply to Re: My garden » Tabitha, posted by Dinah on August 28, 2003, at 20:36:30

Gardening can be very soothing can't it? I admire your skills-- I'm afraid to work with large quantities of dirt. My back yard is all uneven, but I can't figure out how to find dirt, fill it in, get it packed down, and get the grass on top of it again. Plus there's an unwanted tree stump in the middle. It's just too hot and dry right now to do anything except move the sprinklers around to try and prevent irreversible death of all plants.

I've been putting my energy into reorganizing the rooms for now. Today I moved the 'oversized book' bookcases with the art/craft/home/exercise books. Now they're all in one place. Plus changed the phone/ans machine/phone book/notepad area to use a different table-- actually the former stereo stand. So the family room is almost done, except I realize I need to change the lighting in here. Also need something to draw the eye up the high walls. I'm so picky about artwork-- I can't stand anything glass-covered which eliminates most of what's easy to purchase. Perhaps little shelves with a few things? Or wall-hung lighting fixtures? I'll figure it all out eventually.

It's just so nice to be home all day. I'd make a great housewife. Except for the taking care of husband and kids part.

 

I have another great idea! » Tabitha

Posted by kar on August 29, 2003, at 2:04:20

In reply to Re: My garden, posted by Tabitha on August 28, 2003, at 23:06:15

T- I'm afraid of dirt too. There must be a nice "-aphobia" for that. Aw hell, we could make one up. "Soilaphobia"? We can overcome this. We can. Together we will deal with this illness. :D Maybe a new board...Gardenbabble. Or, Decorate-a-babble. Or DIY Babble.

>unwanted tree stump in the middle.
Two words: Totem pole

Re: wall hangings, holy crow, I'm in the same boat. In fact it's probably not only the same...you could be sitting on my lap! i love this part of decorating though. The little shelves have gotten so inexpensive relative to what they used to be. I adore them. i have chunky little white ones that I can only fit like a candle or chotcke (um, note to self: look up spelling of that word...I'm slavic- you'd think I would know). I use them in spots where paintings just don't seem to fit or complement the area. Like above our bed, i don't have a painting that would suit the spot. So i got some of those little shelves. I have my bright colored stuff up there to add color to the room. actually almost ALL my stuff is bright colors. I have old bottles that we found buried in our backyard, bright blue and green candles, some little photos...Oy the possibilities are endless. They come in all different styles and sizes and wood types...at B and B or Linens 'n' Things they sell them. you know what else I loooove? Shadowboxes...

Is home ownership a blast or what??

 

Magic Garden » Dinah

Posted by kar on August 29, 2003, at 2:35:05

In reply to My garden, posted by Dinah on August 28, 2003, at 7:59:48

Dinah...I MUST discuss this further with you...you sound like you're well versed in this stuff and i'm not but love it! I need to talk to you clearly...too tired now.
When do you plant perennials?
What's a good hearty tree?
What's where's how's...
I'll catcha tomorrow.
Which is everyone else's today.

>scent bearing vines.
Elucidate! i'm excited!

>that sensory overkill? Two sounds of running water
it would make me have to pee all the time. mom used to run the faucet to get me to go when I was little and well...fountains, rain,babbling brooks..."where's a Port-a-potty"...

It all sounds beautiful to me. how big's yer yard?

 

Re: My garden » Dinah

Posted by fallsfall on August 29, 2003, at 8:41:58

In reply to My garden, posted by Dinah on August 28, 2003, at 7:59:48

If I try really hard I'll get my lawn mowed this weekend. I mowed the back lawn in June once. I haven't done the front yet (have to pick up sticks before you can mow). The row of trees next to the street mean that noone can see it. But I had to mow the back in June or the dogs would have gotten lost. I have a lot of moss in my yard, it doesn't have to be mowed at all.

I'm so impressed with people who plant things in particular places because they want to.

 

Re: Magic Garden

Posted by Dinah on August 29, 2003, at 21:00:55

In reply to Magic Garden » Dinah, posted by kar on August 29, 2003, at 2:35:05

My yard is too big for my current needs. :( I used to have dogs that needed a lot of exercise, but for just us inside type people it's way too big.

You guys are giving me way too much credit. Some of the grass is already dying. I'm trying to move around sod pieces so that the nicer pieces are in the center. And for all my work trying to add soil and level out what used to be the garden, it looks like I just started.

And as for knowledge.... The only thing I can say for sure that I learned is the truth of one of my husband's favorite sayings "The road less travelled is usually less travelled for a *reason*." (I'll bet you can guess how happy that makes me.) I didn't want to plant what all the neighbors had. I wanted to be different. So some of my plants died, and the rest turned into yard devouring jungle plants. Sigh. Our yard has been unusable for years.

So now I'm planting what every house in the neighborhood has planted. Exciting? No. But apparently every house in the neighborhood knows what plants are low maintenance and grow well in this area. :(

 

I'm pooping out, I think

Posted by Dinah on August 30, 2003, at 20:08:23

In reply to Re: Magic Garden, posted by Dinah on August 29, 2003, at 21:00:55

My current boost of energy for this "enthusiasm" is waning. I worked for a couple of hours this morning and very slowly and inefficiently this evening, and slept for the rest of the day. The good part is that most of the sod work is done. I still need to fill in dirt under the sod along one edge of the yard. And shift some more sod around so that the worst pieces are in the front yard, where most of the yard is a different type of grass anyway. I think I can manage that.

I can stop there and not do any weeding or improvements to the remaining gardens. They've looked crummy this long, a few more months/years won't matter.

But that leaves me at least half the mud still to move. :( :( Which means I once again started a project in a burst of enthusiasm and pooped out halfway. I can dump it where there's nothing in the garden, and we need soil. But where to get the energy???

Oh well. Same old, same old.

And we're not on the fence company list for next week. And we need to have the tree company come out and remove some trees that may have damaged the fence before the fence company comes anyway. So at least another couple of weeks of walking the dogs on leash. :( And one absolutely refuses to do her business on a leash. :( :(


This is the end of the thread.


Show another thread

URL of post in thread:


Psycho-Babble Social | Extras | FAQ


[dr. bob] Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD, bob@dr-bob.org

Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.