19 July 2012

Be the Change

You all know the simple yet profound statement: "Be the change you want to see in the world." (Side note: Can something be both simple and profound?). It's something I try to live by. I'm not always successful. No, I'm rarely successful.

I could have more patience with my kids on hard days.
I could cut my husband a little more slack.
I could grow more of my own food and make more food from scratch.
I could buy more used and buy less in general.

Coulda, woulda, shoulda.

Since we've owned this house, I've been relatively proud of not using any synthetic fertilizer or herbicides (or pesticides, for that matter) on the yard. Nate uses Round Up from time to time. We certainly don't have the nicest yard on the block. The front yard is in some desperate need of upgrades, but funds and other projects inhibit that goal. So, I try to keep it mowed and weed-free the hard-work way - with a push mower and by pulling weeds.

For four years, I've been able to stave off a weed infestation. So, this year, when a weed infestation seems imminent, I've been quite conflicted with the thoughts of: "Spray the damn weeds! Spray them all!" I have a sore back, sore shoulders and a massive sore on my thumb from weeding and I'm not even half done!

WWGD? (What would Gandhi do?)

1 comment:

Ann Wyse said...

Good for you. You could always think of all that weed pulling as exercise! ;-)

But you know how there is bind weed everywhere in Colorado? - Somedays, when all the unwatered grass is brown and the bind weed is not only green, but blooming pink and white flowers - I wonder if we shouldn't just start a bindweed lawn movement.

(I'm pulling it out - no, cutting it out- sometimes -too. ;-))

Found you via Simply Bike.