For the last couple of years, my husband and I have been transforming our front yard, from weedy lawn to flagstone patio and perennial garden. It's been a labour of love, although an enormous amount of work.
This spring, likely due to equal portions of inadequate mulch and an abundance of rain, the weeds have been making a concerted effort to stymie us at every turn. In desperation, I called a good friend of mine to ask if she might have some time to help me with the onerous weeding ahead.
As, it turned out, she did ... generously giving up her own free time, on three separate occasions, to help me not only weed my front garden, but the side strip between my house and the next door neighbour's, as well.
She was relentless, in a kind but forceful way, in keeping me motivated even when I felt I couldn't go on. Rita was also accepting of the help my 3-yr-old granddaughter, in her over-sized safety-pinned gardening gloves, insisted on giving as she gushed, "I just love gardowing!"
I believe that this dreaded job turned out to be a truly positive experience, mostly because we had a fearless leader with a strong back, a way with a shovel, and who knew how to motivate. Together, we not only got the job done ... it seemed we enjoyed getting the job done.
Two days ago, encouraged by the previous attempt at making the front yard presentable, I spent several hours, some of it with a 10-yr-old granddaughter assisting me, pulling some new weedy invaders from the garden.
As a result of all this attention, our front garden is looking beautiful, these days. For this I am, in no small measure, grateful to my long-time friend Rita, who's never failed me when I need her, and in whom I am once again indebted.
