Small Rebellions

During my absence, I've been doing a lot of things, and this is good.  It has been a process of rediscovery of sorts.  But I'm not writing about that today.  You will have to wait. 

Today is about unfinished business, or about the fact that I finally got my act together and figured out what to do with the planters my grandfather made.  It meant rearranging the furniture on the screened porch. And somehow it took me a while to wrap my head around that.  I also needed to change the cushions.  The covers were in fine shape, but, despite having outdoor fabric over them, the cushions themselves were disintegrating.  This may be something to address in the future.  Or it may just be the price of using inexpensive cushions from Lowe's (the source of my porch furniture).  Apparently there will be more research and decision making ahead.  But not this summer, at least concerning cushions.  Besides, without thought, learning, change and growth, what is the point of life?  Is there life at all without these things?

But it is too early in the morning for questions without answers, or at least for contemplating same.  Instead it is good to sit on the porch and enjoy the early morning air.  By moving the seating to be on the diagonal, instead of lined up flush with the perimeter of the room, I can admire the garden from every seat.  This of course, makes me want to sit on the porch even more:  with morning coffee, curled up with a book enjoying the scent of honeysuckle or the perfume of daylilies, with a glass of wine in the evening, and if it is cool, a fire.

The irises out back have been blooming profusely.   This is their first bloom, and I had feared that I had lost them after my neighbor, only attempting to help, weed-whacked the hill behind my house.  The irises were in a defined bed, but I can see how the leaves look much like grass.  He was worried about weeds in our lawns.  I am not, still.  Apparently I have no great interest in a perfect lawn.  I had considered that the hill would make a lovely wildflower garden, but obviously those plans were also dashed.  I now take a more considered approach, realizing that although my preference is toward a more informal look, I live in a neighborhood of formal and defined gardens and compromises must be made.

This year at least,  I get to enjoy the irises.  And there is clover in the lawn on the side of my house away from the neighbor.  He keeps the lawn between us in perfect glory but I rather like the clover blossoms. I like them enough that even though keeping clover out of the flower beds is a bit of a pain, I still would rather deal with that than poison the heck out of my lawn, besides it is not, technically, my responsibility.  Most of that lawn is common area.  If the neighborhood associations cares enough to do something about it, they can.  I choose not to.  Every week the clover blooms, is mowed down, and blooms again.  The blossoms make me happy.