All I Need

 Those of us of a certain age (old) will remember the long ago PBS series "Crockett's Victory Garden." 

I used to watch this show religiously. I rarely missed an episode. 

This PBS (Public Broadcast Service) was back when a "home" show took its time with long segments instead of these two-second flash segments on HGTV now that drive me crazy. I've tried watching some of those HGTV show and I get sea sick because the clips are so fast. I guess that type of television is necessary to hold an audience in these days of short attention spans. But for me, Old Guy that I am, I prefer a more languorous examination of HGTV subjects, whether they be a house, garden or other home projects. I especially liked Jim Crockett.

Jim Crockett wasn't one of those media hogs like the Property Brothers (they literally gag me) or that woman on Magnolia TV. That kind of TV is all about the personality rather than the subject that I'm interested in, home and garden projects. 

One of Jim Crockett's Victory Garden shows that really hit home with me so many years ago was a profile he did on an old widow. She lived by herself in a small house in the country. Right outside her door she had a typical English garden. By "English garden" I mean one that wasn't laboriously manicured but semi-wild in nature. She also had a small pond near her garden. 

I remember at the time the warm enveloping feeling that came over me at that time she was taking Jim on a tour of her garden. That was all she had, her garden and she said that was all she needed. And I remember "I hope some day I can be like that little old lady. Just to have my own oasis of tranquility to end my days."  

Jim Crockett and his Victory Garden show is long gone now as is that sweet little old lady. But  you know who is still here folks? Me. And you know what I have?  I have that "garden."  It's my backyard and my pond.

All my life I have worked towards this goal. To have my little patch of land where I could indulge in my passion for gardening. 

After I finish this blog posting I'm going to go outside and check on my pond goldfish. A few days I saw them swimming around near the top in the brown murky pond. My pond is no longer a pea soup green but a murky brown. The pond plants I planted last fall are growing. The water lillies are growing. I have six (yes SIX) floating solar fountains aerating the water. I estimate my pond water will be clear in about six weeks after the plants become established and reach towards the PH factor in the pond to produce a clear pond. 

I am also going to mow the grass. I'm mowing the grass about every Tuesday. I'm also trimming the edges. Last week I planted my annual marigolds to compliment my Lamb's Ear plants. Over the weekend I planted a dozen herbs, mostly English thyme ground cover. 

Every day, several times a day I'm in our backyard checking, planning, evaluating and just enjoying my own personal oasis from the craziness that is this world. In my backyard I don't have to worry about some gun crazy idiot mowing me down with an AR-15 gun. In my backyard it's just me, the wind, and the critters. And yes, even the ticks. Those damn ticks. I pulled another one off last night. 

Which reminds me, it was about twenty-five years ago I was diagnosed with Lyme's Disease. It's taken that long for the effects of that awful disease to catch up with me but it has. I have arthritis in my joints. I'm always fatigued. I can't work in my backyard like I did before I contracted that awful disease . But I can manage, with a little help. Which is where Jose comes in. Jose is one of the many Mexicans landscapers for hire in our neighborhood. In the past I would have dug my own pond but Jose and his crew dug it for me last year. Jose also trims part of my lawn. He's ready to mow it as he does my neighbors on both sides of our lot. But I can still ride my John Deere so I do the mowing. I enjoy mowing our lawn. Plus my MAGA neighbor Bob M. thinks I look butch riding my John Deere mowing my lawn. Never hurts to build my butch credentials. Which gives me an idea, I'm going to ask him to take a short video of me riding my John Deere. I would ask Bill but his eyesight is gone. He can't do it. 

Time to head out folks. 

Have a great day!!!