Girly Girl Gets Dirty in the Yard


I'm a self proclaimed girly girl.  I love Pink, shopping and things that smell pretty.   I am afraid of bugs, I hate feeling dirty and I prefer it when Mj handles all the heavy and technology related tasks around the house.  So when Mj said that I was going to help him in the backyard planting herbs and other assorted plants the first thing I said was, "No way.  My mama couldn't make me get out in the yard and you can't either."  "Oh, yes you are," he said.  And he basically didn't budge which is why I found myself outside sitting in dirt in our backyard on a Sunday afternoon.

We headed to Home Depot first for supplies and spent $130, but who's counting right?  I can't believe I spent money on dirt.  So, we got our plants, dirt, mulch, planters, miracle grow, and other supplies that Mj as project manager deemed necessary and we got to work.  The only way I agreed to this is because I was promised gloves.  I put 'em on and started grabbing handfuls of dirt and putting it into the planter box and an interesting thing happened.  I realized that I didn't hate it.  There was something somehow soothing about digging into the dirt with my gloved hands and using it to plant something and make it grow.  I enjoyed placing the roots of these little plants into their new home.  It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be!!
Herbs








When we stepped back to look at our  handiwork I felt proud of it.  I actually had fun and felt like we had accomplished something together.  Now Mj has fresh Basil, Chives, Cilantro, Rosemary and Thyme to use for cooking.  I suppose I can use them too considering I do get in there myself and cook these days.  He also has the tomato plant he wanted.  I don't like tomatoes but I got the dwarf mandarin orange tree I wanted.  It's nice to have a bit more greenery out there.   Planting it with my own hands gives me a greater interest in their survival which means I'm less likely to forget to water them and less likely to kill them. At least I hope so.  I was so inspired that I FINALLY even ordered our patio furniture. 

Orange tree on the left and tomato plant to the right
It felt so good to take a hot shower and relax after that.  This is just another example of me being forced out of my comfort zone by Mj.  I can be so stubborn sometimes but when I allow myself to be swayed 9 times out of 10 I'm glad that I did.  We wanted a small yard with no grass so it would be low maintenence.  There is no reason that I can't participate and help out.  The weather is warming up nicely.  I'm looking forward to finally enjoying our outdoor space and seeing the fruits of our labor. Literally.

12 comments

  1. I leave all that stuff to Big Man...the only thing I enjoy doing in our backyard is sunbathing...lol :)

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  2. Wowza - you guys are doing so much!! Austin is our yard guy - only because I'm allergic to grass. True story. AND, I'm a bit of girly girl myself. :)

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  3. that looks good! i want herbs too, hehe.

    i so want to do this but i keep changing my mind on how much time i actually want to spend planting ... i've been having good excuses the last few weeks because it has been raining and freezing like crazy over here!!!

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  4. Thank goodness we don't have a bigger yard...it might be a different story for me then. But I think I can handle this little one.

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  5. Congratulations on entering the world of gardening! You know, I didn't start getting into it until a few years ago. And that was only because I was selfish and couldn't find any *good* tomatoes around. So I got one little tomato plant at Home Depot, stuck it in a pot, and watered it occasionally. It wasn't until that beautiful little plant actually gave me some tomatoes to eat that I realized how cool thing gardening thing was. So I went out and got more plants, and more pots, and I just absolutely ADORE it now. I now find myself Googling "Gardenia care" and weird stuff like that. And you are so right, it *is* relaxing, and it gives you something to nourish and feed and be proud of. Watch out, because very slowly... you will start to really love it and you'll look back to this post and quietly smile.

    Your patio looks awesome and I can't wait to see the patio furniture and how everything comes together. At the end of the summer I fully expect to see you eating one of those oranges!

    P.S. You can also make herb infused alcohol *really* easily. Just sayin'

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  6. i wish i had a green thumb...i so want a garden...but I have a tendency to kill everything!

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  7. I love that you called him the project manager lol! Glad you enjoyed it :)

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  8. Looks great! Love Love Love the outdoor firepit. We may also be extending our patio this summer and adding or buying one for the extra space. (can't wait!)

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  9. "I can't believe I spend money on dirt" - actually made me laugh outloud at my desk. Apparently gardening is really good exercise. I've tried my hand at growing a few things, but I have been known to actually kill a cactus, so....

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  10. Oh, I HATE getting dirty too but sometimes when you see the fruits of your dirt (er...labor :)) it pays off (and there always is that hot shower to look forward too :))

    xx Cat brideblu

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  11. Ohh we have an herb garden and we use it ALL the time! Everything looks great...good for you for helping out!

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  12. I don't have a green thumb at all so I am so impressed with people who do!

    Home Depot scares me...I'm not kidding.

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