By Joe Rector
I’m sitting at my desk and looking out at the backyard and into the field that is fenced behind. The place used to be cleaned up enough to see the concrete block barn that Mr. Roberts built. Now, a wide swath is overgrown with a thick, “junk” green hedge and scrawny trees. At one point, we had a treadmill in this space, and I struggled to keep my balance on the thing as I trotted for a couple of miles. Those exercise sessions were made much easier when the huge groundhog that lived in the barn made an appearance. The creature moved with stealth and speed. I still love this yard and all the work we’ve put into it, especially in the spring and summertime.
Amy and I had this house built in 1978. It was a small place, only 1,250 square feet, but it was plenty enough for us. Neither of us is fond of pulling up stakes and moving, so we’ve hung around in Ball Camp for all those years. Yes, over time, we needed more room when we had only two bedrooms and our son was on the way. At another juncture, Amy decided we needed a room where our children and their friends could be comfortable without having adults sharing the same space.
For years, I hacked away at stumps from the trees that had been cut when our land was cleared. Sometimes, the trunks were leveled with the existing yard. At other times, I dug and chopped on oak tree stumps until I reached their bottoms and then forced them out of the ground. On one of those projects, I used a railroad pry bar and put pressure on the bar until I felt something give in my back. That led to several years of pain that ultimately ended in surgery that used bone from my own hip, cadaver bone, and metal parts to fuse the injured area.
The front yard and portions of the back yard are covered with Bermuda grass that I took from my mother’s yard. I used a bulb digger and set them out. Over the years, those plugs have grown together and make for a cushy feeling underfoot. The best grass is in the back yard, but unfortunately, it is located in the dog lot. The stuff is pretty, but after a few trips outside by Sadie and Harvey, the grass isn’t so attractive.
I admit that plenty of weeds are also in the yard. I use a variety of products to kill the unwanted plants, but they are tough and seem almost resistant to sprays and powders. I live in a neighborhood that has big yards. Folks want their yards to look nice, but they aren’t about to invest hard-earned money into killing and fertilizing and energizing grass. We have a saying for weedy yards: they all look green when they are mowed.
Amy has done a wonderful job with flowers. She picks the perfect plants for pots and plots. She has also placed a variety of flowers that attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds. We enjoy sitting outside and watching those creatures enjoy the nectar from flowers. We also enjoy sharing cuttings from plants and extra shrubs with friends and neighbors.
The yard is our favorite place, whether we’re mowing, planting, pruning or watching. Maybe someday we will grow too old to keep up this yard, but for right now, both of us are content to be home to enjoy the blooms and buds and leaves. The smell of fresh-cut grass always makes sitting outside a little more special. I hope everyone enjoys their yards as much as we do. If not, those folks might consider selling and moving into an apartment. The next owner might find greater joy in a little plot of God’s earth.
