Monday, June 02, 2008

Weeds

Our back yard is in the process of going native. This is not by my choice or design. There are simply plants coming up in our lawn that want to be there more than grass does.

I’ve noticed two types of weeds. One kind has a shallow root system, but has tendrils that weave their way through the lawn. Unless you untangle every last tentacle from the blades of grass, the weed will break off at its stem and come back with a vengeance within a week or so. One must apply a great deal of patience in unraveling such a tangled weed.

The other kind is easy to spot because it’s tall and leafy. It looks like you could just grab, tug, and be done with it. But the thick, meaty root drives straight down to the pit of hell. I’m almost certain that the tip is hot. But unless you loosen the dirt around it and pull firmly straight up, a weed taller and stronger will grow up from the root before you know it. Once more, a concerted effort must be applied.

I’ve tried working on these weeds once a week, taking a few hours on the weekend. But I notice that I miss a lot of them, and the ones I let go seem to spread beyond my ability to keep them under control. I end up frustrated.

So I’m going to take some time each morning for the next few weeks to see what happens if I concentrate on particular sections of the lawn, one at a time. Then, on the weekend, I should be able to fertilize, pick out the few straggling weeds, and maybe do some seeding.

I’m hoping that my lawn looks better by the end of the summer.

Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(2 Peter 1:5-8 NASB)