A View From Robin's Nest
Just a Minute
- I’ll get you my pretty.
Weeding
Robin Hoselton
A defiant weed caught my attention as I surveyed my backyard kingdom through the window. How had it penetrated the land-scape fabric? I knew I’d have no inner peace until I evicted the offensive greenery that marred my otherwise perfect rubber-mulched path.
It will just take a minute, I told myself while piling the breakfast dishes in the sink.
Out in the garage while pulling on my gloves, my gaze flitted over the pegboard and rested on the hummingbird feeder hanging there.
“Oh my, I keep forgetting to put that out and those little jewels are due to return any time now. I better not put it off any longer. It will just take a minute,” I said.
I blew the dust from the feeder and carried it into the kitchen. Moving the dishes aside, I rinsed it, prepared the nectar mix and took it back outside where I wandered around trying to decide where to hang it.
The branches of the holly tree weren’t sturdy enough, the bird feeder pole already had the finch feeder and a suet holder on it, and the harsh sun would probably boil the liquid if I hung it on the trellis.
I set the feeder on the barbecue while I went to get the extra shepherd’s crook from the garage.
Hmm…now where did I put it, I wondered? Maybe in the corner, behind the door. Oh look, here’s that dowel I was looking for the other day when I potted those three angel wing begonia cuttings. If I stake them now while the stems are flexible, they’ll straighten up in no time. It will just take a minute.
I broke the dowel into three pieces and took them into the back porch where I jammed them into the begonia pots. Silly me, of course I forgot the ties.
Well, there are probably a few stray bread ties in the kitchen. Inside, I pulled open the silverware drawer.
“Yup, here they are next to the ice tea spoons. Ice tea. That sounds good. I didn’t realize how hot it is. Let me get a glass; it will just take a minute. Aah, that hits the spot, but it could use ice cubes.”
As I set the ice cube tray on the counter, the dog started barking.
“Must be the mailman. I’ll go see what he brought. Ooh, another garden catalog! Look at those daylilies on sale. I don’t have that variety and they’d look so pretty in the front yard. If I order online, I’ll save postage. I better do that now before they run out of that color. It will just take a minute.”
When my significant other comes over, he sees me clicking and clacking on the keyboard. In the kitchen, he observes the dirty dishes in the sink, an ice tray with melting cubes next to a pile of bread ties on the counter, and a full glass of tea on the table. Looking out the window, he notices a hummingbird feeder sitting atop the barbecue.
“What have you been doing?” he asks.
It takes a few seconds before I answer. I’m not quite sure, but I do know I’ve been terribly busy and haven’t had a moment’s rest.
At last I remember and mumble, “Weeding.”
Tagged bird feeders, time flies, weeds, yard work