Lawn & garden wisdom

As Chuck walks in the back door, he asks, “Honey, have you noticed the grass the “unnamed” internet company planted in our front yard?

He notices my scowl. “You mean the crappy grass that has turned into four patches of mostly weeds?”

After it was planted, we discussed how quickly it grew. We “expected” it to flourish and blend in with our lawn. Looks can be deceiving. Appearances can prove false.

That quick growth soon became an eyesore as we noticed more weeds and sparse, thin blades of grass uglifying our lawn.

Isn’t it true that what we quickly allow in our lives can turn into something we didn’t expect, and not in a good way?

Relationships. Opportunities. Grass.

The promises tell us things will be wonderful. Later, the only things that we see are disappointment, red flags, and weeds.

These things can affect our attitude, mental health and outlook on life.

Yikes.

As Chuck walks in the front door, he asks, “Honey, have you noticed the sunflower growing by our mailbox?”

He notices my smile. “You mean the rogue sunflower that I did not plant but is slowly growing and is perfectly planted right in front of our porch?”

It’s been several weeks since we first noticed the sunflower. Slowly, over time, we started to see it growing taller, and eventually, we saw a bloom. As the sun makes its way through the sky, the bloom follows its direction. It seems to thrive in the sunlight. There might be a bit of a spiritual thought there.

It’s taken time to grow. We love going out to get the mail and watch its beauty open up. We didn’t plant it, yet it found a place to thrive – an unexpected joy.

Doesn’t real beauty take time? Don’t we often neglect to see what has unexpectedly shown up in our lives and the prospect of its beauty?

I never want to neglect taking the time to seek and find joy in the unexpected. I’ve become a joy prospector.

An unexpected friendship. A small gesture of kindness. A glimpse of hope. The beauty of a rogue sunflower. Over time, the beauty will be seen … if we pay attention.

Success doesn’t come overnight. Anything of value takes time. A relationship takes time to flourish and grow a strong connection. Hard work and patience lead to success.

We want instant beauty, but what we need is sustaining beauty.

We want to see the best in people when there is a side of them, we have yet to see. Watch for the red flags that show the not-so-good things about someone or something. Red flags tell us someone isn’t what they first appear to be or the opportunity is too good to be true. Gold flags tell us this person is to be trusted or this opportunity is a good thing.

Being patient is hard work. It’s not easy to take the time to see the real things in people. We want to believe what we see at first is the real thing. As my mother would say, you can’t pretty up a pig for long. This goes right along with … Pretty is as pretty does.

I have come to realize that infatuation clouds us from the ugly reality we refuse to see. Read that again.

Opportunities that sound too good to be true most likely are. You can spend a lot of money trying to make money only to lose what you invested and more.

I’ve lived in my Little House on the Alley for 49 years. Crazy huh? I’ve fought weeds and drought. Over the years, I’ve invested in flowers, fertilizer, and mulch. I know how much you can sweat on an almost 100º day. I know what a crick in your back feels like after a day of “playing” in the yard. A little sweat and a few cricks can eventually bring about a thing of beauty.

I will not let a little bit of crappy grass keep me from enjoying my yard. I choose to see the beauty. What I choose to see and what I focus on determines how I see my yard … and my life. I’ve fought the weeds in both.

I hope you find a few unexpected joys this week and enjoy them for what they are. I hope you see the weeds for what they are and … well, you know what to do.

There might be a few “lessons” in my column this week.

Janet Hart Leonard can be contacted at janethartleonard@gmail.com or followed on Facebook or Instagram (@janethartleonard). Visit janethartleonard.com.