Too Early For Spring

An update to the early spring that I reported in my front yard. I was going to cut it close, but I thought I would get the weeds pulled and make the imposed deadline before getting fined from the homeowner’s association. I had made a valiant start, however the tiny cleared area in comparison with the rest of the yard was barely even noticeable.

Then of course I got the flu....not just a mild case of the flu, but the whole shebang....High fever, chills, aches, lost my voice and had the head cold to match....it was ugly....I tried on the second day of my illness to go out and pull some weeds thinking " well its not exactly strenuous so I should be all right" - well I lasted all of ten minutes before I was exhausted and retired back to bed.

The next day was the deadline day and I awoke still sick, with dark skies and the threat of rain. Once the rain started, it softly rained throughout the day and into the evening. I was hoping that this meant that the members of the committee could not get out to assign fines - but knew that it would be a short reprieve.

The weeds thrived on the additional rain and soon my weed garden was even more lush and full. Professionals would have to be hired, and so I set about the task of finding someone to come out and tackle the job. It took a while, but I found 4 places that did this kind of work and called three of them and e-mailed the fourth then waited for the calls to get quotes.

I waited a full day and nothing. Not one call. Is the economy that good that these places can turn down business? I made secondary calls and e-mails. Nothing. Meanwhile the weeds were thriving and growing taller by the minute. Finally after no response from anyone, I was able to get someone through someone my mom’s lawn care service knew of....by the third day after the deadline, the work was going to be done.

It was expensive, but necessary. The weeds were removed and the yard looked great...for almost 3 days. Then the new shoots of green started to appear. But this time I am armed with weed killer and will not rest until they are all chemically extinguished.

By the way, I finally did get a call from one of the four businesses that I originally contacted...a full four days after I contacted them a second time....I politely said that someone else had beaten them to the work....to which the lady replied.....oh well and hung up.....

An Early Spring?

One of the many reasons I love winter is that my yard becomes a dormant place....a stark, bland, area without flowers or color or....weeds. I appreciate this time of year for the respite it gives me from the never ceasing chore of yard work.

It really has been a nice season in that respect. By Thanksgiving I trimmed everything back and the yard began a hopefully long hibernation of winter slumber. We had a wetter season than usual and although I love the rain, it does not bode well for providing my yard with the perfect conditions for winter bliss.
That being said, it was almost New Years before I noticed any change in my austere desert landscaped front yard. There in the near center of my yard poked out a small green shoot that caused immediate beads of cold sweat on my brow. Like greased lightning I was in the yard and with a quick jerk took care of the situation. Satisfied with my efforts, I tossed the offending culprit in the trash can and went about my day.

What happened next I can only surmise was a general call to all types of lawn and yard dwellers. A call to descend upon this smug homeowner that thought he was being "pro-active". A lesson must be taught and soon....to send a message to other over zealous weed pullers out there. So in the span of perhaps a week there were perhaps 10 new shoots in a wide and random pattern covering the entire expanse of my front yard. I wanted to pull them, but we were having more rain and it would have to wait for dryer conditions.

The next time I walked down the front walk to the street I noticed a new green border all along my path as well as at least 20 new bursts of green in my otherwise rock and gravel front yard. A sense of dread and unease took over and I found myself looking around the neighborhood at other houses to see if they too were suffering this early gift of springtime. Much to my horror it became more and more evident that I was ground zero in the assault of the weeds. I would be the first letter that the HOA neighborhood committee would send out as a "gentle reminder" to rid the yard of the unpleasant blight of healthy green weeds.

I am not sure where the time went. I know I was busy. I know on at least 2 occasions I thought about going outside to wrestle with the rapidly growing horde, but now it is February 5th and the weeds have seemingly won. When driving by the house - at first glance it looks like I have a lawn, until you look close. Unfortunately the neighborhood committee members did not think so.

Punxsatawny Phil the groundhog saw his shadow last week indicating six more weeks of winter. But in my front yard - spring is already here.