The Lazy Gardener

When writing up my profile, I almost put "gardening", but that might give the impression that I like to weed, hoe, dig, and generally work hard in the out of doors. I don't. What I do like, very much, is buying plants and flowers at one of the local nurserys and having dear husband dig a hole (or two or three) for me. I also love touring gardens, reading about gardens, creating elaborate and expensive garden layouts in my head, and planting colorful flowers. I don't like digging the holes, unless they are very small, but I do like gently easing the plant into its new space and filling in the dirt. I don't mind mowing the grass, pruning the bushes, or dead heading the flowers. I like watering and daydreaming or watching the birds while I do it. I am especially fond of the amazingly tiny hummingbirds that live in our yard. People ask if we put out hummingbird feeders. We don't, but they seem to like the plants in the garden well enough to stay. Hawks are another favorite, the way they effortlessly circle and glide. We have them nesting nearby in the tallest of the trees. Oh, and one time I saw an owl flying very near, at dusk, right after sunset. It felt magical. So, if the day is fine and I have the time, I like to put on one of my silly big hats and spend some time outside pretending I am a real gardener.

Was there something art related in all of this? It's a cliche, but I do like sketching or taking photos in the garden. With my digital camera I can guiltlessly take hundreds of photos, closely examing the light and pattern on this stone, or that leaf, or that petal. With the advent of digital magic, its more often the camera than the sketching journal that goes outside with me. Oh, and I am learning to use the images to make fabric, so the possibilities here are endless.