Progress

It may not look like progress, but that brush pile is continuing to grow. I'm digging and whacking, and whacking and digging, and a little poisoning also. (The trumpet vine in the back graveled area where we park just laughed at that last.)

The Make 30 prompt for this day is "Break the Rules." Most of the rules broken have nothing to do with photography. I purposely stuck my finger in the corner of the shot for the theme, and I should crop out the bit in the lower right corner, but anyway...

No, the more significant rules broken are:

Rule # 1.
Stop and look at what you're digging up. Over in the area closer to the raised bed, there was something that looked like it might be another mock orange. We only planted the one, but that sizeable bush might have come up on its own. I had determined to leave it there until next spring and see what it does. Alas, several days ago I went out to work more in that area and was so engrossed in the exciting prospect of clearing more brush, that I totally forgot I was planning on leaving that to grow. Too late...I already dug it up and not carefully enough to try replanting.

Rule # 2:
(Similar to Rule # 1) Don't assume. For a while I was leaving some plants go until I could see what came of them. When I saw something I THOUGHT was the same come to ""bloom" as insignificant, stupid ugly little nothing, I said to myself, says I, "OK, right, now I remember what it looks like and I'll pull/dig it up." Mistake! This morning I was around front and side of front porch, whacking and digging, and saw some goldenrod blooming. SH%T! Most of what I pulled up in the back was goldenrod! I forgot that was what it was and that I wanted to leave most of it there! Ack!

Sigh. Frank said, "Now what will be do with all those bare areas." and I told him don't worry, it won't stay as bare as it is now. A bunch of stuff-- desirable and not--will just come back up next year. But I do wish I had remembered to check closely enough to spot the difference between the thing I didn't want, and the goldenrod.

[Susan Wakely]

I am sure that you will be rewarded for you efforts.

[katy]

It makes me tired just to look at that pile! I cannot imagine working that hard! Sorry about your hard earned lessons but you have a good philosophy… Next year it will all be back

[Kathy]

That's a lot of work. Perhaps spread some newspapers and mulch over the bare areas until you can work them up in the spring and plant some plants/shrubs you want.