Clearing Clutter

Today was beautiful here in Austin so I was determined to spend some of it outdoors.  We had some accounting to work on for an hour or so before Chris and I went our separate ways and then I was planning to hit the garden.  One task led to another; one discrepancy led to another; one reconciliation led to another.  That's how it happens with me.  Suddenly it was 5:30 and I had been at it all day. 

I checked the handy little natural clock on my iPhone and realized I still had a good hour of sunlight so I changed from the pjs I worked in all day to the overalls that always feel like a delicious indulgence.  Designer duds are not what I crave - it's knowing that all I have to dress for are my weeds. 

And man did I go after them today.  I found a patch so large and official looking just outside the perimeter of the vegetable garden that I thought for a minute perhaps they were stray greens that I should be gratefully and carefully harvesting, not alien intruders I was bent on destroying.  Upon closer examination I determined that they were indeed weeds and I dug the whole patch out and threw them away (pile pictured above).  I can't bring myself to put weeds in the compost so I brown bag them for the city. 

Once I got down on my knees and began to clear the space, I started seeing its potential. By the time my 90 minutes was up, I had cleaned out another area that has been under utilized and gets great sun.  This is where I will plant my blackberry bush next week.  It just feels like the right place for it.  

For me, gardening is the ultimate in not planning.  For a girl who thrives on lists and plans and spreadsheets, I love the feeling of opening the door not having a clue about what I'll do.  I walk around and wait to see what calls to me.  Today it was attacking the army of early spring weeds that rang my bell, which seems like a mundane task but ultimately led to a vision for the summer garden.

I'm a big believer in clearing clutter to allow the space for creativity, whether it's in the office, home, garden or psyche.  I wish it was as easy to clear my mind of its weeds.  Meditation helps, when I do it.  Tears help and I usually have a creative breakthrough after they fall, so I guess that's a form of emotional weeding.  It was certainly true yesterday when financial, health and family concerns caught up with me and I surrendered to a good cry.  While still blubbering I picked up my guitar and wrote a song for the first time in quite awhile.  Today I sang and refined it while I worked (on the weeding, not the accounting).   

So, I guess I should say thanks to the tears and the weeds.