I Am Not a Gardener

Today was the annual Planting of the Flowers Day.

It's not my favorite day of the year. In fact, I kind of hate it.

I like buying the plants. I think it's great fun to mix and match the colors, textures, heights and shapes. I'm big on purples and greens. Actually, I ONLY like purples and greens, but mix in a few other things to keep it interesting.

It's the planting I don't like. It's dirty and hot and sweaty.

And it's inevitable that once I get started, I find plenty of weeds to pull, which leads to a dozen or so trips back and forth to the fence line where I toss the pullings. Then there's 40-lb. bags of potting soil to tote from the front porch to the back deck and around again. And then there's the 5-gallon buckets of water that get hauled, hoisted and poured. And the ceramic pots filled with dirt that I decide should be moved around and more artfully arranged.

Before I know it, I have a decent workout in and need yet another shower.

Maybe I should learn to like gardening.

The truth lies somewhere between this ... 

And this.