Tuesday, September 10, 2013
The Mysterious Disappearance of Weeds from My Lawn
Two days earlier, my yard had been a blanket of dandelions. I’m not much of a gardener, but I can recognize dandelions. I’ve spent a lot of time creating ideal growing environments for them.
Don’t get me wrong, I hate this weed. The yellow flowers are pretty when they first bloom. But soon, those dandelions turn into white puff balls full of seeds. They are the bane of my neighbor’s existence.
Last year, my daughter was in our front yard picking dandelions, breaking them off at the stem. With each new dandelion she would stand up straight and muster a great wind from her lips. Her puff of air would dislodge the seeds and send them floating into my neighbor’s yard. With every dandelion she would giggle with glee, until my neighbor came out and yelled at her to stop.
That is when I knew I needed to approach the subject differently. I am living in a subdivision with manicured lawns and irrigation systems. My yard of dandelions and dried up fescue sticks out, but in a bad way.
During the cold month of February, I planned my attack on these weeds. I researched, I prepared, I made phone calls and I set a date. Now, I am sitting on my front porch gazing across my yard of shriveled dandelions and other mysteriously dying weeds. And I’m smiling. The only non-living object in my immediate gaze is the little yard sign that reads: “Chem Lawn Treated this Lawn.”
Don’t get me wrong, I hate this weed. The yellow flowers are pretty when they first bloom. But soon, those dandelions turn into white puff balls full of seeds. They are the bane of my neighbor’s existence.
Last year, my daughter was in our front yard picking dandelions, breaking them off at the stem. With each new dandelion she would stand up straight and muster a great wind from her lips. Her puff of air would dislodge the seeds and send them floating into my neighbor’s yard. With every dandelion she would giggle with glee, until my neighbor came out and yelled at her to stop.
That is when I knew I needed to approach the subject differently. I am living in a subdivision with manicured lawns and irrigation systems. My yard of dandelions and dried up fescue sticks out, but in a bad way.
During the cold month of February, I planned my attack on these weeds. I researched, I prepared, I made phone calls and I set a date. Now, I am sitting on my front porch gazing across my yard of shriveled dandelions and other mysteriously dying weeds. And I’m smiling. The only non-living object in my immediate gaze is the little yard sign that reads: “Chem Lawn Treated this Lawn.”
*Flash writing exercise, topic given as part of creative writing exercise. Story had to be 250 words or less.
