Backyard Burnout

Have you ever gotten to that place where if you sow another seed or pluck another weed, you might just take a torch to the whole damned lot? With the time and space that separates we few, proud gardeners, it's easy to feel as if you're the only one.

I am in that place.

I swear to all that's holy, if I dig one more spadeful of dirt for our patio, or transplant one more seedling, I will go insane! It's been a few days since my last real garden blitz. I spent most of Sunday afternoon digging, planting, watering, weeding, organizing, and mending the garden while hubby hid away in the shed, sawing up something for my upcoming birthday.

Truthfully, there's not much to do, and I think that's part of the problem. Perhaps that sounds odd, but when there was a full spring planting to manage, and the start of our patio to spur us on, motivation was much higher. But now that we're out of money for chicken house supplies, we've gotten most of the garden situated, and with the patio project seeming so endless, I've temporarily lost my zeal.

Of course, "real life" is always a factor, events conspiring to present distraction after distraction. As you read this, the City Mouse should be penning eleven 500-word articles on the benefit of some weight-loss plan I've never heard of and working up two more pieces for the environmental mag. Ah, the joys of freelance writing.

The house needs cleaning, not much, but a good tidying for sure. And the emotion of the last two days, of these amazing and life-changing electoral times, has done much to split my focus. Even the fly buzzing around our dining table has it's tiny little mind set on disturbing my flow.

What is the cure for general feelings of disinterest and lack of motivation?

Get away from it!

Okay, so maybe my time would be better spent working on the piles of things that need, and deserve, my attention, but not this weekend. Nope, no sir. The City Mouse and spouse are heading off to the wine country. A quiet cabin in the Barossa Valley is paid for and waiting, with our names on it. One night free of house and garden, deadlines and bills, oh it will be bliss.

It may only be a single night, but last night showed us what amazing change just one day can bring. Perhaps this is just the renewal and change I need.