In the Dirt

Digging in the dirt comes with rewards but always seems to disgust me. Especially now that the area I live in is rampant with Blastomycosis. Officials assure us that there is nothing to worry about although the confirmed cases are a gazillion times more than normal. No one seems to know where it comes from. It's found in the dirt yet it flies through the air. No one is safe and if left untreated, it mimics a very bad cold, you end up coughing up blood and die a nasty death. I imagine it as the Ebola of the midwest.

On the shiny happy people side, the ground heaves up it's treasures in the form of nurturing the plants through the Spring and Summer seasons. I possess good black dirt. This weekend I planted Purple Fountain Grass and lime green Sweet Potato vine in three copper colored planters on my front steps. I planted Black Millet and Gerbera Daisies, white and purple Echinacea and Reed Grass. I transplanted some Stella d'Oro daylillies from the backyard to the patio. Things are shaping up for the side garden. My mother gave me an interesting plant called "King Tut". It's a type of papyrus and simply striking for these parts. It's like an exotic reed/ grass.

My heirloom Concord Grape vine is back with vim and vigor. It has been four years since I was able to harvest those dusky eggplant colored globes, sweet and ripe from the snapfrost. They make the most amazing preserves. This vine is so special to me. My grandparents now long dead took a cutting from their neighbor probably 50 years ago. When they died I dug it up and planted it next to my porch. I love it.

After planting for two days, I actually had to find sheets and blankets to cover everything up because a hard freeze warning was issued. Forkin' hay. I simply have got to cut back on my swearing or my little Paulie Parrot will ultimately end up sounding like a Salty Sea Dog. For example, this weekend my dear friend the Godfather came home from Miami to grace us with his presence for just a few short days. I immediately put him on baby duty, ie- WATCH THE BABY, Godfather. We walked to the front of the house and came back to the garage and I said 'Where's the baby?' and he bolted back and said, 'Oh Christ, that's right!' grabbing him.

The three of us went looking at plants. After buying a few we went back to the car and the Godfather opened the Slaab by sticking his arm through the open window and popping the lock. No, no, no, no... the alarm went off. "Oh Christ!" he says and I say "It's such a piece of crap!" Snowflake steps in with his two bits from the back seat and says,

"Christ mama, what a piece of crap!"

Very, very bad, but we couldn't stop laughing.

I'm waiting for my contractor to start digging up my backyard for the pergola. A bobcat was supposed to magically appear either Monday or Tuesday and it's still a no show. I'm waiting and things are just growing around me, everywhere.


gardening, blastomycosis, parenting, swearing