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Saturday, July 31, 2010

quiet gardening

pretty bougainvillea blossoms with yew trimmings.

LOTS of trimmings.
part of my job as gardener at this property, is to make sure everything outside looks pretty.
including all the shrubbery (this is fun...every time you see the word "shrubbery", use an English accent. it makes it sound much fancier).



trimming all the shrubbery (you're using an accent, aren't you?) can be a real drag, especially in the heat of summer!
because this is my work, and i want to love my work, and feel good about it...
for me getting QUIET and taking my time with plenty of breaks is essential for this task.


being QUIET means using simple tools.
shears. tarp. rake. wheelbarrow.

NO gas or electric thingamajiggies.
just good old fashioned quiet tools.
using shears is GREAT EXERCISE for the upper body and when you do it long enough you get into a RHYTHM.
and when you get into a rhythm you start to notice the other rhythms around you...
birds.
cicadas.
tree frogs.
crickets.
leaves rustling.
dog panting.
beautiful sounds of nature that you would never notice if you weren't
QUIET.


this is office number 2.
i use this to haul the shrubbery trimmings up into the woods.
office number one is my old jeep.


pretty simple stuff.
my point here is
i use NO electricity and NO gasoline.
that's a really good thing for the environment.
and it is good for me.

i take the time to pet the dog.
and see the love in his eyes.

and that happy tail!



since i am QUIET...i take the time to throw some spent bougainvillea petals into my bucket...
and i NOTICE how beautiful they are (hence the first picture in my post).


if you are
QUIET
you will ...
get in shape
notice the rhythms in nature
help the environment (if even in a small way)
be in tune to the beauty around you
pet the dog more
and
you will
occasionaly use an English accent, just for the fun of it.
please join my friend Suzan
for PROJECT GENESIS
creating change, one day at a time
at old grey mare
and find out more about how you can make a change.
even a small change for good is better than no change.


29 comments:

  1. you made me cry.....


    no fair....

    much love,

    z

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  2. Beautiful post and so true! We should all take steps to protect our environment and enjoy the beauty around us!
    Hugs,
    Donna

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  3. I love this post, Erin! I am on a quest to find stillness myself, as you'll see if you go to my blog. I so enjoyed reading your piece, and was very careful to use my English accent when appropriate. And of course, stopping everything to pet the dog is indeed the most important part of any job.

    Thanks for a lovely visit...

    Lynette

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  4. Erin - beautiful words - your work gives a lot of satisfaction..sth like creation of the character..thank you...Have a nice day!A.

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  5. What a quiet moment to be with you today...............i enjoy this moment............you are such a great person Erin..........i relly like your blog and coming and read you every time......your garden is so beautiful....and your dog so cute......he looks like our dog always wag its tail.....what is the name of the dog?? ......happy sunday my love......blessings and love from me.........

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  6. Erin, you are a genius at creating atmosphere and in particular a sense of peace. Thankyou. Gowever when I say the word, "shrubbery", I'm afraid that although I live and am married in England, It comes out with a northern irish accent! Will that be good enough for you? Hope so!!We love your photos so much that when the southern family were up this week, we examined them to see how this genius is executed. But although my son-in-law is a graduate in Photo shop, it keeps it's secret!! love it.

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  7. OOOh what a nice job!! i love alsow gardening!!
    Self i work in the woods and make open fire wood
    This is a ritm alsow with a aks.
    The birds and the other wood sounds.
    I love it.
    i wish you a nice and sunny sunday
    Yolanda

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  8. Hi Erin! Beautiful post as usual! I will forever now say "shrubbery" with an english accent. LOL! Btw, don't know how you work outside in this heat. Be careful this week, it's supposed to be 100! Don't know how it could get any hotter than it's been!

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  9. Oh Erin...so beautiful...can you come and do some quiet gardening over here? I'll give ya a dollar.

    love.

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  10. I'll have to ask my hubby to use "shrubbery" in a sentence - in his "Queen's voice" - he's pretty funny. :)
    LOVE this post, Erin. I have always preferred quite gardening! Up here in the mountains, I use a watering can, some clippers, and a bow saw. That's it. And I couldn't agree more - gardening is so much better when we slow down and take time to enjoy the beauty and the quiet.
    :)
    Zuzu

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  11. Nice post - I can tell you enjoy your work. But one question - How on earth can you take this heat??
    Enjoy your Sunday.

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  12. to glenda and marsha (fellow tennesseans) YES, this HEAT is horrible and going to be even hotter this week! i try to work in the mornings, drink lots of water and take my time. it IS difficult though...looking forward to cooler temps for sure!!

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  13. This was beautiful, preserving the memory of stillness and making our world a better place!
    Wonderful post...I love you dog, what is his/her name?!

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  14. Love your calming post, Erin. It feels so good to life in nature en really feel, smell and see nature around. Try to point my children all the beauty nature gives us, everyday!
    Have a wonderful Sunday. xxx

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  15. Great post - taking the therapeutic value of gardening one step further.

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  16. Great post! Thanks for sharing your ideas of quiet which I will agree is good for the earth and all that inhabit it! Also thank you for correcting my accent when I say shrubbery... all these years I have been depriving those around me by using my Michigan accent! Plus, usually I say bush so now I need to go and correct that too because shrubbery sounds so much better! Thanks again! Theresa

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  17. Dear Erin
    I couldn't agree more.... my pet hate... [pet isn't a strong enough word] is electric garden tools buzzing around the neighbourhood.. the #1 culprit would be the leaf blower... a fairly useless noise and pollution creating tool I would say... haven't people heard of brooms?? haha

    Well lovely and through provoking post as yours always are... xxx Julie
    Cute pup!!

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  18. Love this post today...love it.. Sounds like the perfect job...no one ever talks back to you! What a beautiful beautiful property. Hugs for a great new week. xoxoxo

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  19. Erin, such a beautiful post in words and images and truths. I love it! I'm a huge promoter of quiet and stillness and listening to rhythms and you've put it so eloquently. And the English accent certainly helps! xo

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  20. How I wish you form of gardening would take over the world. I am so tired of listening to what sounds like nuclear-powered mowers and blowers. When the poor operator has to wear ear-protection, doesn't that say SOMETHING!!
    Thank you for your serenity.

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  21. This makes me want a garden so much! Have to work on manifesting that with the angels! Love the dog photos too! Soooo cute!
    Have a beautiful week Erin!

    Love the Ingrid song too ... breathing ... good reminder (I have post-its around my house to remind me 'breathe")
    :)

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  22. I love the way you think. Quietly. My tail is wagging.

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  23. I just love this post Erin. Nothing looks more out of place to me then a bunch of guys with their truck and trailer parked with all their power equipment working on these million $$$ homes. Unfortunately that's all you see. It's really sad to me.
    xxx
    Carole

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  24. Oh Darrrling, I did sooo enjoy your charming take on the trimming of one's shrubbery. Might I suggest taking some napery to mop your brow in that ghastly heat. Tally ho!

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  25. Beautiful, I found serenity just in the reading of your wonderful post. I love digging in the dirt of my garden and listening to nature around me.

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  26. I'll have to try that English accent! You would have needed much more than that here yesterday. It was so hot that everything, and I mean everything, watered or not, was wilted by midday. Even the trees looked unhappy! Your photos and posts though, are most always serene and beautiful. Happy rest of your week.

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  27. I wish we all could think as you are thinking...
    If we all tried to help the environment in samll ways, it would become bigger!!!
    Love your post!!!

    Thank you for all the lovely words on my blog!
    They mean the world to me!!!!

    Have a wonderful thursday, my sweet friend!!!
    Hugs/
    Luiza

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