Weeds…

From Merriam-Webster online, a weed is defined as:

1a: a plant that is not valued where it is growing and is usually of vigorous growth especially : one that tends to overgrow or choke out more desirable plants

b: an aquatic plant especially : SEAWEED

c: tobacco products

2a: an obnoxious growth, thing, or person

b: something like a weed in detrimental quality especially : an animal unfit to breed from

Why am I thinking about weeds? Well, I spent almost three hours yesterday and another hour today, digging them up! You know that saying, “hindsight is 20-20”? Yeah, I messed up. When I got the load of gravel in to make a driveway, I really should have dug up the ground that was there, get rid of the weeds, and put down some landscaping fabric, BEFORE having the gravel spread. I didn’t and now I’m dealing with the aftermath. Mind you, the three hours yesterday weren’t only about the driveway. I also did the strip of property beside my new neighbours who have had sod laid (I really don’t want to be the cause of their sod being overwhelmed by weeds). Once I finish cleaning it up, I’ll put some fresh topsoil and grass seed down. That should help.

I also did a regular weeding of the lily bed and mulched it. I love the way the black mulch looks. Not just clean and tidy but rather elegant; if a flower bed can be elegant.

So, that covers part 1a above. I’m going to skip parts, 1b, 1c, and 2b and go to 2a. An obnoxious growth, thing, or person. As I was spending time on my knees, pulling up weeds, I was thinking about those other parts of life that can be filled with weeds - negative encounters, people who bring you down, difficult decisions, troubles with work or home life. And I would add that our own thoughts can be weed-like. Have you noticed how, if someone “plants” something negative in your head, you can find yourself not only believing but letting it grow into your new perspective? I find that I can put enough negatives into my own head and really don’t need anyone else’s. Why am I mentioning this? Well, being on your knees pulling up weeds can leave a lot of time for your mind to wander.

Mine was wandering down the road of, what am I doing with this house? I really feel like I’m making great progress outside. In fact, I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished thus far. I thoroughly enjoyed a very lazy morning today which consisted of sitting out on the porch with my tea, my newspaper, and music playing in the background. It felt comfortable which is key for me. Inside is a different story altogether. It seems like every step is filled with confusion, uncertainty, and ultimately, money costs. For instance, I went to the trouble of trying out paint colours and spending the time and money to get cans and cans of paint. I have a lot of the paint I’ve chosen for the walls in my bedroom, office, dining room, and upstairs bathroom just sitting here and I haven’t started at all. Why??

Time and weather are two big barriers to painting, in my opinion. You need enough time to prep the walls (take off any hangings, tape off anything that needs to be protected like my house alarm, fill any holes, and scrub them clean which means time for drying is needed) BEFORE you can even think about actually painting! So, enough time to accomplish all those steps is required before being able to commit to the painting. And I think with a solid plan all the prep work can be done throughout the work week so that painting on the weekend can happen. Sounds good, right? Well, sometimes working from home can make what should be easier, more difficult. If you put in extra work hours then it doesn’t matter that you aren’t commuting! This is a lesson I am still working to successfully achieve - you only have yourself to blame if you don’t take time away from work. The second barrier in my opinion is weather. If it’s hot and muggy, the last thing I want to do is paint. I’ll have sweat pouring off me and into my eyes and it’s brutal. So, now you’ve heard my two excuses for not completing all the painting I had planned. The other piece that is difficult with hot, sunny weather is that I want to be out enjoying it! Summer doesn’t last long where I live and I think it’s important to enjoy every season given to us by Mother Nature. I guess the painting will get done when it gets done.

Here’s another “weed” thought that I encounter on a regular basis. If I can’t do everything then I’m not “good enough”. What crap! Of course I’m good enough! I’m good enough for me. It’s a regular battle in my brain to remind myself of this very important fact. The only person judging me who matters, is me! What did I accomplish this week? Well, other than work, I had a lot of fun golfing with a friend, I’ve got a cleaned up looking driveway, my lily bed is lovely, the yard is mowed and tidy, and my house is a work in progress. I took the time to visit my hometown and family and friends. I picked up a couple of cute items for the kitchen reno and a braided rug for my new reading area. Oh yes, my new reading area.

I can’t remember if I mentioned it last week. My sister and mom were here for a little visit and I enlisted their help in moving an awkward piece of furniture. It’s a gorgeous lounging chair that I bought specifically for my office/library. It turns out I haven’t been using the space as a reading library the way I thought I would. It still houses a lot of my books but I wasn’t finding myself drawn into it to read at night. It’s the same room that functions as my office. I wonder if maybe it carries the energy of a work day and not that of a relaxing room in which to curl up with a book? We moved the chair to this strange space at the top of my bedroom stairs. Now, it’s set up as a perfect spot to relax and read and when the weather turns cooler, I can turn on one of my electric fireplaces to warm it up. It wasn’t how I pictured that area at all and I’m so glad I was open to making a change. I think remaining open to moving things around is essential when you’re settling in a “new-to-you” house. In fact, I think moving things around is an excellent way to change up your home at any stage. It’s definitely less expensive than a renovation and it allows you to adjust as your life grows.

Final thought for today: hold onto those thoughts that are positive and uplifting and celebrate new people in your life who bring sunshine! My new neighbours are wonderful. I was struggling with a dresser that needed to move to the upstairs “spa” bathroom. There was no way I was getting it there on my own. Neighbour husband and son showed up today and moved it for me! When we get rid of the weeds, we find the flowers!

Enjoy some pictures from this week.

Left hand side: some pictures of the driveway before weeding and some of the weeds gathered!

Right hand side: a much cleaner driveway!

Some images around the yard that make me smile.

My new reading area.