Rain

I am happy that the rain is coming down in buckets. My project this spring has been to "fix" the greenspace behind our back patio fence. My neglect and outside "forces" conspired over the winter to create a wasteland populated by sad Hydrangea, spotty crabgrass, mud, rocks, and butchered junipers. The tweenage boys across the way leaving their tweenage boy flotsam did not help the aesthetic appeal either.

Also out back is a tree/bush like juniper that was planted outside our fence. It has grown to the point of blocking the back gate. We told the groundskeeper for our assoication, he told us that they don't plant things outside of the gates. After a pause, I told that we did not either, but everything outside the fence is the association's responsibility, could he do something about it (the veiled threat was "or I will"). His solution was to give the plant a "high and tight." Those are fine for troops, but not bushes. It looks ridiculous.

Last year, Dominion Power decided that the juniper (different variety than the gate blocker) that hid the big power box/transformer interefered with the proper functioning of said unit. (What happens in those boxes? The low hum is, at times, disconcerting.) The mulch spread biannually by the association's groundscrew explicitly for the juniper had begun to accumulate around the box, restricting access. The juniper and the dirt needed to be modified. Amazingly, the Dominion Power "landscapers" were able to complete their job with only a back hoe and a chainsaw!!!

Earlier this spring, our homeowner's association contracted to have all of the fences replaced behind the townhomes. Great. The team from Long Fence worked like their hair was on fire (or it was a fixed price contract). Part of the process involved digging up the cable and phone lines and installing new anchor posts for the fences. All of this activity chewed up what was an already scarred landscape.

The prominent feature behind the back fence are the two hydrangea we planted four years ago. We planted them to commemorate the loss of what would have been our first two children, twins. Sometime around the 9th week of gestation, their hearts quit beating. About the same time, I started running, alot. One of my first long runs was with Mike. I shared with Mike my loss on this run and on many future runs we talked about how hard it is to want kids and not be able to have them. Pain is easier to talk about when something else is hurting too, sort of a necessary distraction.

Our first son, Graeme (the little guy in the profile picture), was born a little over a year after planting the hydrangea and after I had run two marathons, the first in DC and the next in Boston. I ran in Boston with my friend Mike, my sister Heather, and Dave. Well, we "ran" together for about a minute somehwere in the middle of Heartbreak Hill. Shared suffering is somehow life affirming.

Our hydrangea have had their ups and downs and we almost lost hope as each spring they seemed less healthy than the previous. So, this spring, I decided to spend more time tending to our hydrangea and their friends. I planted some flowers and worked in some top soil. Graeme and I pruned the ugly juniper and spread grass seed. Parenting note: little boys like dirt and water; they are naturals for gardening. I have learned that new grass requires lots of watering and the weather has certainly cooperated this spring. The grass is coming in thick and healthy, the hydrangea has bounced back, and the juniper, well, its more green. And all of this just in time for mother's day.

All this new life is also a reminder to me of Mike's kids, Ella and Will. Ella is two and Will would be two today if not for the misfortune of having a heart that was different. I am happy that I got to spend some time with Will, running our own race. It was only a minute or so, but I think we helped each other finish our shared struggle. Happy Birthday Will and Ella.

Once I figure out how to add pictures, I'll post one of our new growth behind the fence.