In spite of illness, in spite even of the archenemy sorrow, one can remain alive long past the usual date of disintegration if one is unafraid of change, insatiable in intellectual curiosity, interested in big things, and happy in small ways. Edith Wharton, A Backward Glance
We moved into our home on a sweltering August day when Alex was just 2 days old. For weeks, we camped out on the plush carpet merely content with the luxury of central air conditioning. I was too tired to care that the house lacked furniture or that the landscape was just a barren green grass.
The next Spring, I was a homeowner on a mission to imbue my McMansion with some cottage charm. I drooled over garden books, magazines, and garden catalogs. I toured garden shows, arboretums, and historic homes. I tested my soil, determined sun exposure and zone, and started digging.
As always, I pursued this passion with gusto. Yes, it is possible to dig by moonlight. After a while, you don’t even notice the back pain.
Somehow, despite my “survival of the fittest” philosophy of gardening (which always seems to favor the weeds), I have had a lot of success with flowers and shrubs. The trees seem have a hard time staying upright; and the vegetables are very popular with the deer and bunnies. Overall, I love that my garden is a riotously gaudy display of colors.
If I’m very lucky, my children will grow up displaying a gaudy display of intellectual curiosity!
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