After writing about gardens the other day, I sighed hard when I looked out at ours.  I have been diligent about getting grass out from between patio stones, tending the potted plants and even clipping back some of the small gardens right next to the house.

But the huge side garden?  The front sloping garden?  The back?

Disasters, all three… requiring massive amounts of hours and time. 

And, yet, here again is that silver lining this year.  We were all supposed to be away this weekend, attending the men’s lacrosse tournament that our two oldest would play in.  Of course, it’s cancelled, and we are here, at home.

I rounded up the boys, and we attacked the bittersweet, raspberry runners and hundreds of baby oak trees.   I cajoled my husband into some chain saw work to take down two small lines of oak trees.  (We will now see the bear as it sneaks through the back!)  He decided it was a great day to weed whack and brush hog around our pond. 

By the end of the day, there were a lot less overgrown spaces around here… and a lot more space opened up.  It’s calming—and inspiring.  (I’m already calculating what we could get done if we all work together tomorrow….)

So, yes, I would have loved to have been over in the Adirondacks, cheering my boys at a lacrosse tournament.  But I do love the results of the silver lining of extra time!