Busy Bee

Yet another peony. This one, much paler than the one I posted yesterday and graced with a busy bee, blooms in my garden. But the poor plant is in serious need of a green thumb, so there are only a few blossoms this year. I need to either learn to garden or get a job that allows me to hire a professional. There are so many beautiful flowering trees and shrubs in my yard, but they're quickly being overgrown by weeds, withered with disease, or devoured by insects.

I tend to put gardening in roughly the same category as housework: I'm much too busy to get to it because there is always something I'd rather do!

This morning, a yoga class with a group of expat girlfriends took priority, followed by some research work and and errands with kids. I also sneaked in a little reading, just for fun!

Recently I came across this poem I love - and believe applies equally well to weeding :)

Dust if You Must

Dust if you must.
But wouldn't it be better,
To paint a picture, or write a letter,
Bake a cake, or plant a seed?
Ponder the difference between want and need.

Dust if you must.
But there is not much time
With rivers to swim and mountains to climb!
Music to hear, and books to read,
Friends to cherish and life to lead.

Dust if you must.
But the world's out there
With the sun in your eyes,
the wind in your hair,
A flutter of snow, a shower of rain.
This day will not come round again.

Dust if you must.
But bear in mind,
Old age will come and it's not kind.
And when you go, and go you must,
You, yourself, will make more dust.

~ Rose Milligan (purportedly published in the September 15 - 21, 1998 issue of The Lady magazine)