Whew....

Man, it has been a darn busy two days.

Sometimes I don't  know where the time goes.  I've been busy working on a new project for Gues Who Originals, and futzing a bit in the yard, too.  I probably shouldn't tell you how out of control my gardens are...but trust me they are.

This afternoon I decided it was time to move some rocks.  Baaaaahaaaaahaaaa.  Again...I'm moving rocks.  Over the years I have moved tons of them and that is no joke.  Before several of our house were built the area was a marsh...well, almost mini-swamp...and truck loads of rock were brought in to fill the marsh in, and then more truck loads of top soil were brought in to cover up the rocks.  The far south-west corner of the back yard barely dries up before the fall rains begin...but I digress.

Anyway, after we bought the house, I decided I needed a vegetable garden, and flower gardens.  Lots, and lots of flower gardens and so it was I began to dig, and dig, and dig, and dig.  At the time I didn't know about the rocks and top soil, so I was quite surprised that with every shovel full of dirt I also I uncovered a rock.  What was I going to do with all these rocks?  Ah ha...I will use the rocks for borders of the gardens.  Holy cow!  I began to unearth boulders.  Honest...they were boulders upwards of 75 to 100 pounds easy.  They were too heavy to lift so I got very good at rolling them in awkward end over end til I got them where I wanted them to be.  Oh, my goodness, very strenuous labor.

When I was finally happy with the end results, and the gardens got finished that fall, I counted my blessings I would never move another rock again.

THEN WE BOUGHT THE BACK LOT.

Paul decided we needed to move the rocks from the front yard and up-grade to something more 'classy' and by now I learned that having a vegetable garden in Oregon was not a very fruitful endeavor so I decided to give up gardening and move those rocks as well.  So, I would load up my Radio Red  Flyer Wagon...and off I would go to the back lot, load after weary load of rocks.  Finally only the boulders remained...end over ending I went again.  Whew.

Years went by I was happy, the rocks were happy.  When Paul passed away I sold the back lot, and most of the rocks and boulders went with it.  I was thankful I would never have to move those rocks again...well, except for a few I really, really liked, and I kinda, sorta confiscated before the sale of the lot was final.  Sadly, they were boulder size, so I end over ended them one more time to the back yard AGAIN.  I must be nuts.

Years ago my gardener created a pea-gravel sidewalk that goes the length of the back of the house, around to a small patio (he created that, too).  He also bought some larger round river rocks and kind of strew them hither and yon along the sidewalk, it looked great.  Until last year when I noticed they were beginning to sink into the soil, I spent a day lifting the majority of them up, smoothed out the pits, and re-set them where they were, except for the damp corner of the yard that I totally ignored.


Okay, again, happy rocks, happy me.  Sigh...until today.  Yep, I got a bug up my butt...and decided it was time to move rocks.  Remember the damp south-west corner of my back yard. Pitiful, pitiful spot.  I grab my kneeling pillow and set to work.  I use my weed-pulling tool to get them loose, as some were three quarters buried in dirt (thank you moles).  I make a nice border, and I'm hoping to let a shrub overtake that area and be done with it.  I'm down to my last rock...wouldn't you just know it...it's 75 pound boulder.  First I have to dig it out...then I manage to get a shovel under it, and swing it out of the deepest part of the hole and away from my neighbor's fence.  I'm finally able to get a good grasp, and start the end over end process.  One side of it is covered with a lovely moss and I want that on the out-side, and maneuver it into place.


I'm pretty pleased with myself.  I swing my birdbath into the same area and stand back to admire.  Whooo, hooo.  Please, Lord...I never, ever want to move a rock again.


Let's hope the rocks are happy, I know I am.