The gap between the hedge and the Apple tree has basically disappeared. All this enforced time at home and somebody has been neglecting the garden. Unbelievable. But I quite like the results. Often it’s best to let nature takes its own course. So much easier that way as well…..

Every second Wednesday is becoming a right bind. Our bins are emptied every two weeks. This includes the garden waste bin. So when it comes to the day of putting out the bins I get that sinking feeling. Please let the green bin (now a brown bin for some reason) be at least half full. When I open the lid, I want to see plenty of grass cuttings, hedge trimmings and pulled up weeds. I want that feeling of elation that comes from two weeks worth of gardening. So I can close the bin lid and wheel it out onto the road. A job well done.

That’s the theory.

In practice I open the bin lid to find its completely empty. Oh big pants. Now I feel bad. I clearly have been wearing my laziest big pants. The inner shame drives me to fill the bin before the refuse wagon arrives. This being Yorkshire means a mad couple of hours gardening in driving rain and hail. That regular routine was repeated this morning. While I’m fighting the gardening elements I can hear my Mums words echoing around my exceedingly wet head. You just need to do 10 minutes a day of weeding and you get the perfect garden without breaking your back. One day I will follow this sage advice.

So the bin was filled. It was wheeled out onto the road and it felt like that was the gardening done for another two weeks. See I never learn.

107 thoughts on “Pathway”

  1. Ours comes once a week for garden matter.. Three times for garbage and trash..Imagine how busy that makes me. Factor in I have a gardener three times a week. Try not to hate me. I’ve earned it. I did my own gardening for 14 years…Big garden, huge deck with big containers where I did my own drip system by myself..Down below I had to water. In the garden down below on the mountain I had to haul in all the soil in big bags as they’d sterilized the soil for a pool..Thank God I was 33 years younger. So. You don’t hate me, right? You can move to Mexico and hire a gardener in 30 years.

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  3. Awe, and I was going to live vicariously through you as you tended your garden. 10 mins, that’s all it takes! I’m helping your mum. 😊 I think she would be pleased.

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      9. I might be cheating. I’m using a pen. It’s my new favorite pen after 46. Apparently it’s a well balanced weapon. Mightier than the sword indeed.

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      18. 88 was a superpower for a few fleeting moments then crushed… but like Gandalf, there is always hope. So expect Superdad the white soon…. it’s good to see you smiling. 88 was a defeat but it got me smiling as well. 😀

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  5. My green bin hasn’t been to the curb since it was delivered. I could call it a “natural compost” system but it’s really pure laziness. We dont have grass. We have weeds that we can cut down to look like a lawn in spring or wait for summer to kill them and knock them down. 🤷🏼‍♀️ My recycle and trash only go every other week. I dont know how people fill those bins so fast. I guess the 3 of us dont make much trash🤷🏼‍♀️

    I think your Mum had a good point, but the mad rush has got to be a great workout 😉😂💌

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  7. At least you sorted out your garden waste collection. I was the nugget that forgot and once coronavirus arrived in town, the city council stopped all renewals. No collection of any garden waste since 2019!!
    Oh yes, then I decided a complete overhaul of garden was required and set about removing trees, bushes and shrubs. 64 garden bags later …

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  8. At least you can say that you have achieved something even though 10 minutes a day would probably be a lot easier and less stressful but I truly believe that some people are just not gardeners.
    You also have a considerable amount of work to do being a single dad and home schooling and the stress of the current situation around Covid 19.
    I hope that you manage to stay safe and well.

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  9. Ha ha … I am like you … with much more time being spent at home, my house is dirtier now than ever! I lack the motivation. I guess you could say that I’m letting nature take its course in my home! Sigh. We are human … so no, we never learn. But, you know what? 100 years from now, nobody will care whether I washed my windows or you weeded your garden. Heck, a year from now, we won’t care, for we’ll have found some other thing to fixate on. xx

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  10. I like it when you say “chucking” … makes me smile every time lol

    Well… 10 minutes a day isn’t bad… put it in your routine? Either in the morning or after dinner – do that. Doesn’t sound so bad… but I am not a gardener lol – I am the plant grim reaper so I don’t mess with them.

    Although I have been taking care of my strawberries 🍓 and my aloe… I thought I might have killed them, but I think they are still alive 🙏 I’ve been babying them

    But anyway… you should do that – 10 minutes … what’s 10 minutes somewhere… and what does it take? Like 21 days to form a habit? Do it for 21 days and see

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  13. Aside from occassionally mowing the weeds, my garden is a sad and much neglected space. My toddler still likes running around in it, but every time I take her out there I feel a little guilt. Not enough guilt to do anything about it though. Every two weeks? You’re a hero in my eyes!

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  18. My front garden is still looking top-notch in regards to weeds. The back has all the pesky weeds – the little things that half the time I just cut their heads off with the weed whacker when no one is looking. The grass keeps trying to come in to play in the garden too. Given the choice, I would not have chosen completely around the house landscaping. But that is what we got. I actually ordered a vinegar product weed killer that I am hoping to attack the buggers with this afternoon. If that doesn’t work I really need to enforce kids outside to help. Our trash and recycling get emptied once a week. With all my amazon orders the recycle bin is usually full of boxes. I usually have a full trash bin too. If not I am frantically looking around the house for something to throw away to fill it because there are so many weeks that I am overflowing and eyeing up the neighbors can for space 🙂

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      1. It’s okay – just weed free, really. I usually plant flowers and mulch it but I just haven’t gotten around to it yet. And may just try to keep it weed free this year (the front garden at least 🙂 )

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  19. Words to live by: “..let Nature take its own course”. Either that or your Mum’s 10 minute recommendation. Summer is nice, flowers and many more wild creatures but it’s so much work….even just watering (sorry, Gary, I imagine you wouldn’t mind that one!) In Washington, before my last move, I had endless green things and I used to do like you, rush about to fill the garden waste bin so I wouldn’t look bad. Glad to know I’m not the only idiot!!! (Beg your pardon!)

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  21. We don’t pay the council extra for having our green bin emptied. It’s a useful store for buckets, tarps and flower pots, and we have a compost bin for our cuttings. I thought for a moinute you were going to add you;d got the week wrong….. we’d done that before they started to charge for green waste.

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  22. Oops, this reminds me I need to respond about the Red Cross donation truck that will be in my neighborhood in seven days and beginning purging and filling bags for them to pick up. Thanks for the reminder!!

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  23. You have earned the coveted friend video. I appreciate you, and your blog. Thank you. ☺

    Now… about that prediction… You’ll have to watch the video recap! 😄

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      1. 88 isn’t bad…. but it isn’t 101. 😁 I’m probably going to pay for that trash talk. 😁 Bring it England. Okay, I’m scared now. 😮 Pencil juggling is going to consume my life.

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      2. I do believe my mad country has gone to war over less trivia statements that that. Trying to film with the left hand and juggle with the right is clearly not my superpower as well. First attempt I dropped out at 12. The second attempt was ace until I reached 38 when suddenly my left land started to try and juggle the phone as well….. I know what I’m doing tonight. 😀

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