A couple of weeks without writing goes by so fast – I don’t even notice.  Sometimes I just want to go live life for a while so I have something to write about.  I think so much better when my hands are busy, especially when I’m outside and busy.

This morning it was English Ivy.

“That’s a really pretty plant covering your fence now.  Couldn’t you plant some of that after the new fence goes in? It looks like it grows pretty fast.”

My daughter and I were discussing plans for replacing the existing fence which is nearly ready to dissolve in the next rain.  It has been there since the house was built in the 50’s.  The dogs keep finding/making holes and escaping. The new fence has been in the plans for a while but fencing here in Washington costs so much it takes my breath away.

“There’s a problem with that plant – it’s an invasive species so I don’t think we should keep it”.   So that was settled. It had to go, and I had a new project.  I love having a clear, understandable goal with a probable outcome (because it  helps make up for all the unclear, non-understandable elements in my life that have no known outcome…)

Armed with gloves and two sizes of nippers I took off the outermost layer of vine, hoping to see fence.  But as with many plants with dense foliage, there was another layer of dead, dry leaves, mold and dirt beneath the living.  Clipping and hacking my way down to the fence, I began to notice the dust in the air, especially when a new section was pulled clear.  The thought occurred that it might not be good to be breathing all that.  This thought was soon followed by coughing that I couldn’t control and a nasal sinus condition that made me wish I had an inhaler.  I’ve never had allergies, but this stuff wanted me to develop one.

Eh, no plant easily deters me from a well made plan.  I coughed my way through and stuffed all that section of ivy into trash bags.  Some of the main branches were two inches thick and many of the vines had grown right into the fence and become part of it  – and I only mention that to impress you and to explain why I’m now tired as a dog. And I don’t  know if dogs are really tired or just bored so I’m just sayin’ that they look tired and that’s how I feel.