Eeyore’s Garden

I can’t say that my yard currently shows “Pride of Ownership”.  It’s more like “Pity for the Neighbors”.  It has been hard to keep up this summer.  I have often mowed after it’s gotten sorrowfully shaggy, starting almost at dusk and finishing after dark.  The planters have barely survived, mainly due to the contribution of my girls and the lucky proximity of most to the front door.  Stepping out to water as I clean up the breakfast dishes has been manageable.

But there is a corner of the backyard that is particularly forlorn.  Tucked behind the shed, fortunately hidden by the neighbors’ 6 foot high fences, there is an area I have dubbed “Eeyore’s Garden”.  Nettles, Thistle & Buckthorn volunteer, fighting with daylilies & dandelions.  Things that don’t fit in the shed or garage get tucked back here, awaiting their final destination.  I have been known to skip it when I mow in the dark, as unknown hazards hide in the brush.

So, last week when I began my yardwork, I was surprised to find a squash vine.  Snaking under a canopy of weeds taller than me, it stretched almost 5 feet out and back.  Blossoms hid under the leaves as it clung to the ground for protection.  Not finding my favorite nipper, I resorted to a swedish saw to cut back the brush, exposing the full length of it to the sun.  Almost immediately, the leaves stood up, reaching for the sky.  Today, the huge orange flowers announced its intent to propogate.  It is likely too late in the season for any fruit, but I am torn between sampling the delicacy of squash blossoms or maybe, just maybe, getting some small squashes before the frost.

I have been accused of being an optimist, but one must hope, if only for small things.