What did you do in the garden today?

[ackie]

I know this is petty and awful BUT a neighbor was doing her walking while I was raking leaves and stopped to talk. She said she had a yardman to weed and rake for her. I could not help it, but I felt just a little smug thinking I do all that myself. I don't know. I understand if you have health issues, but apparently this lady doesn't. Seems to me, that if the yard man is the one with intimate knowledge of each bed, each flower, bush and tree, is the yard and garden truly yours or his - spiritually speaking. Anyway, I just need to try to be a better person.

eh thinking it is better than saying it.

there's a line to everything though.

I was making an outfit for a historical event - you're allowed creative license but it's supposed to be somewhat based in historical reality - because I thought buying the clothes was "cheating"... and then I looked at the dyed fabric and I thought... is buying it already dyed cheating too? they would have had to dye it themselves... then I looked at the undyed fabric and thought maybe its cheating to use fabric and weave your own fabric... but then is it cheating to use premade string and not spin your own? do you need to raise your own sheep to gather the wool? do you need to grow the crops to feed the sheep?

etc etc etc

and it just goes on and on.

so my point is... I've been down that road and there aren't any answers

 

[BReeder!]

Pic of the tomato sprouts so far:

One they all sprout and grow a bit they'll be transplanted to 4" pots. Same with the peppers. The 4" will get upgraded to 6" if needed before we can get them outside. There still room for 4 more full size trays on the rack. But that will get quickly used up once I have to transplant all these in a few weeks.

I also find the dill has begun sprouting:

So did some thyme:

The sprout/grow rack now:

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

It’s easy to judge others considering your own perceptions @oldhen2345. Perhaps your neighbor has underlying health issues that they don’t choose to share with others. Or perhaps they have priorities that supersede gardening duties. For myself I do the chores of housekeeping, chicken tending, gardening and lawn maintenance to the best of my abilities. My DD has pitched in since moving in, however I have determined that I will likely have to have some help this summer at least during the hottest months to avoid another hospital stay. I will be celebrating my 70th birthday soon and am a slightly disabled veteran. I’ve been told repeatedly that I don’t look my age and I’m pretty good at concealing my disability. So like I said, you may not understand the reasons your neighbor hires help, but it’s their choice regardless and if they own the property and are paying the gardening bill, it is still their garden.

 

[Sally PB]

@Wee Farmer Sarah, thank you for your service.

@oldhen2345, eh... yeah, you don't know what your neighbor has going for or against her. Maybe she feels smug thinking you're silly for wasting your time doing yard work when you could be doing something else.

Personally, I don't like to pay someone else to do what I can do myself. Maybe it's a guilt thing, about wasting money. But a friend has paid me to do yard work for her because that is the home chore she hates the most. I can understand that point of view too.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

It’s nice that you enjoy gardening as much as you do. I suspect that those of us who are on this thread are here because it’s an important part of our lives. However, @Sally PB, it is really ok that everyone doesn’t share our passion. But it’s not fair to think less of them because they don’t find joy in gardening the way we do. Just MHO.

 

[Sally PB]

But it’s not fair to think less of them because they don’t find joy in gardening the way we do. Just MHO.

Oh, no, I didn't mean that at all! Sorry if it came across that way!

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

I think seeing other people outsource something you are skilled at or enjoy always seems strange...until you think about things YOU outsource that they may do themselves. Maybe she loves sewing and makes her own clothing. Maybe she paints all original art for her home. Or maybe she loves her career and spends most of her energy at the office. Who knows.

I am NOT a fantastic gardener, so probably my next door neighbor (who has an AMAZING garden) thinks my haphazard collection of chaotic flowers and anemic attempts at a vegetable patch aren't worth the effort...but it's a fun homeschool project and we do get a few meals of produce and some lovely flowers from it. She might think I SHOULD hire help and get better results...but we have fun making our messes in the garden, so . Everyones goals are different.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I agree. I had one of my neighbors tell me how meticulous the previous owner of my house kept his lawn and gardens. This was before I retired and had a 3 hour commute during the week for my first 8 months here. I did my best with the mowing, built 5 raised garden beds for vegetables and planted an awesome crop that first year. That, in addition to converting a shed into a chicken coop and building a large run to keep my pullets safe while I was at work. I felt a little bad about not being able to keep everything up to my neighbors standard until one of my other neighbors told me the previous owner hired landscapers to do the work. I was 67 at the time. That much work is not what many people enjoy. But I was preparing my new home for my retirement and I was doing it because I wanted to. I still have neighbors younger than me who are able bodied but still have landscape services take care of their property. It’s their choice.

 

[Wolfie2]

I play in the dirt because I like to grow things, and Mrs Lobo helps me. I fix things around the house because I don't like to pay others to do things that I can do and sometimes Mrs. Lobo helps me.
Sometimes stuff just piles up and I have to have help to get it all done!
I have friends and family who don't like to play in the dirt so they buy all their groceries. Some don't like to fix things or figure others can do a better job than themselves.
Some don't have the physical ability and have to get help from somewhere.
To each his own

 

[Elyrian1]

To each his own, lol.

Okay! So it does appear to be the red kale that "twinned," as I dug out a seed that failed to sprout and it was definitely the spinach. Need to replant that one today and hope it was a one-off failure.

I'm not sure what the basil is doing... it looks slimy like a chia seed in kombucha. Thoughts?