Gardening: In The Yard and In A Book

I haven't blogged in awhile and it's because I'm exhausted.  I've been out in the yard, weeding, edging, spreading mulch--everyone's FAVORITE part of yard work.  I say I like to garden, and I do, but I like to plant and water and harvest, not fill trash bag after trash bag with dandelions.  When it's all done, it will look presentable, not the embarrassment that our yard is in it's current state.  I'm gaining a lot of motivation from my current book, Michael Pollen's Second Nature : A Gardener's Education.  I love Michael Pollen's books.  They always make me think and feel like I'm reading to broaden my mind, not just be entertained.  After my last string of novels that kept me on the couch instead of doing what I needed to be working on, I decided Second Nature would be a good pick for me.  I enjoy reading it, but I'm able to put it down.  When I'm thinking about it when I'm not reading it, I'm just pondering some ideas he's presented, not wondering what will happen next in the story.  It's a nice change of pace for me.  Any who,  his reflections on the way we as a culture garden, think about gardens and even weeds has been a constant in the back of my mind as I pull dandelion after dandelion and shovel more and more mulch.
He talks about the gardens of his childhood, the way we suburbanites worship the concept of "lawn" and journals his trials and tribulations over creating his own gardens.  Of course it IS a Michael Pollen book, so there's quite a bit of research and philosophy that also goes into it, which is what I like about his books.  I got tips about how to plant seedlings as well as a theoretical discussion of trees.  I find his books inspiring, and this one is no different.  Not only do I want to go out in my yard and work, I also want to work to make a smoother balance between man and nature.  I guess that's what living a green life is striving to do in general--find that perfect balance.  I've felt so sluggish lately in my daily greening and reading this book at a time when I can actually get outside and WORK has helped to motivate me again.  As I'm tearing out shrubs and pruning back bushes, I can think about the grander scheme of what it means to garden.  Or I can stop what I'm doing every 10-15 minutes to change a diaper, break up a fight or retrieve a shoe that Jack stole right off of someone's foot.  Even though I don't live a life that allows for a lot of time for philosophizing or introspection, I can grab the minutes I still have and reflect on my place in nature--then go back to being a mom.