Mine is a paltry 3 minutes and 7 seconds. It's sad, I know, but that is all I have managed so far. This year I aim to improve my record by a whole minute. That's right, I want to better my personal best with a full sixty seconds.
You know how it is when people come to visit your garden and say stuff like: Oh, what a gorgeous garden you have, you must spent hours just sitting there enjoying the wonderful view.
Yeah, right! Just between you, me and the apple tree over there, do they really think that we gardeners actually sit down in our gardens?
Because frankly, the only ones ever sitting down and relaxing in my garden are the cats,
and Tara.
I really don't have to explain it, do I? You know how it works. You go out into your garden with a nice cuppa tea fully intending to just sit down for a while and simply soak in the view. Ha, like that is ever going to happen!
Your bum has barely touched the seat of the chair or off you go as you've just now spotted a weed that needs to be weeded. And then you see another one and another one and ......... Suddenly, 3 hours later, you return to your chair and find that your tea has gone stone cold. Off you go to brew another cuppa.
There have been times, I confess it, where I deluded myself into thinking that I could actually read a book in my garden. More fool me, because before I even have the chance to open the book I'm struck by a plant in a pot that needs to be watered, pronto! And hang on, that shrub could do with a trim, the roses need deadheading, is that another weed I just spotted and the birdbath needs a refill and, and ....
While we're having this chat you've been admiring all the different seating areas in my garden. It's ironic, isn't it, that there are so many but they are hardly ever used, at least not by me.
Personally, I could happily throttle those ignoramuses that prattle on about my being able to sit down, relax and enjoy the fruits of all the hard work that I've put in to create my own green paradise. Little do they know that having a beautiful garden is frankly not what it's cracked up to be. What is the fun of not being able to put in at least an hour daily to just sit and gloat?
Mine is a cruel fate, I may have a gorgeous garden but it's unsitdownable.copyright 2009 Y.E.W. Heuzen
36 comments:
Brilliant post!
Too right Yolanda! I've found the only way to get quality time in the garden is to go there at dusk. Rather defeats the object though doesn't it? At least the bats keep me entertained in the summer ;)
A lovely picture story.
You will have to rush out, sit, put on a blindfold and relax. You won't be able to enjoy the sight but you will be able to listen to the birds and get a much needed rest. :)
My garden is far from tidy and, like you, as soon as I sit out there something cries out for attention. You wouldn't believe how many times I can reheat a cup of tea in the microwave.
Oh, absolutely. The only time I manage to sit down in the garden is on the back deck when it's cold in the winter, because I'm far enough away from the flowerbeds that I can't see the weeds. There's no seating in the garden except my new hammock, and the longest I've sat in there was an hour in the dead of night with my laptop, and I couldn't see any weeds in the dark then either!
I found myself nodding in agreement when I read this! I suppose it's the gardener's curse!
Mind you when I'm on the plot I always take a break to have a drink, a biscuit or two and an apple. I don't wear a watch so I don't how long I take, but it's never very long! xx
This, however sad, is true. Only the gardener sees all the work that needs to be done. At least all your seats and benches make nice focal points for garden views and photos.
Believe it or not, I have read a book in my garden, sitting on the garden swing. It was last summer, and the husband and kids were off somewhere on their own, it was a Sunday afternoon, and I was able to ignore garden tasks for a full half hour. Once a year ain't bad.
LOL, I posed something similar last year in my other blog. I, too, never sit in my garden. I mean to, but I never do! To me, garden is more a verb than a noun! :) (And the tea thing happens with me indoors, too!)
It is oh so true. Your garden is so attractive. I'm jealous and inspired at the same time. I better get back into the garden and get busy.
Donna
Which brings to mind the question... why do we put chairs and benches in our gardens? I suppose because we are eternal optimists. Someday...
Carol, May Dreams Garden
Too funny. I actually sat down on the rock bench for....well, maybe a minute this morning. Contemplation doesn't last long when the gardens are not even cleaned out yet.
You reveal the truth of all the places to sit in the "own" garden. I always wonder whether I shall ever find time and the inner peace to sit down for more than five minutes. I don't think so, as I do not want to miss discovering something "new" in my garden which is so full of life and change :-) !
How true! I'm also distracted by the desire to take photos...
Although, I must say, I think if I got more comfortable seating, I would spend more time out there with a book.
Oh, das kommt mir alles so bekannt vor. Nur habe ich nicht so viele Katzenm die meine leeren Stühle belegen können. Ab und zu setze ich mich schon mal etwas länger hin, das passiert aber wirklich sehr selten :-)
LG Lis
Hi YE, thought provoking! I will have to time myself as well. It was thought that we would bring the laptop outside to the shady deck in the afternoon and blog out there. Even that cannot happen. Blinders would be needed to stop us from seeing tasks that need completed, at that very moment, or pronto as you so aptly put it. The Financier gave me astonished look when I told him the new garden bench would be more ornamental than functional. HA Helps to keep our girlish figures, right? :-)
Frances
So true, so true!
So sadly true.
We do sit in our gardens.....usually on ours knees!!! Gloves on fingers, trowel in hand!!!
Oh no, I read this just as I'm contemplating the purchase of 2 chairs and a table for the garden. I think I'll go ahead anyway.
What about a hammock? If you're looking up at the sky, you won't notice the uncompleted tasks.
You do indeed have a gorgeous garden and your post is so true! why is it that you always notice weeds once you have sat down?
Any minute now the mosquitoes will make it unlikely and impossible that I will sit on the new red bench I added! I did sit there last week between storms and then ran inside for the camera...the birds were too cute! YE, your garden looks gorgeous..and the cats are happy to make use of the chairs....I would if I were visiting and I would promise never to make those insensitive observations! gail
But you love it right? And that my lovely is the main point to remember :-)
Story of my gardening life. Still, the seats make useful places to park the cup of tea once I've spotted something that needs doing (that's if the cat hasn't got there first).
I don't think I've ever sat in the garden for as long as 3 minutes and 7 seconds!
Besides, when I get up at the moment I take my trays of tomato plants out to acclimatise for the day, and where do you think I put them? That's right, on the bench!
I do so agree. I find I can last a little longer if I have a sleeping cat on my lap or if I wear my darkest sunglasses :-)
:) I think the object of having so many "vantage points" throughout your garden is to "sit a spell" and contemplate your next move. Besides, it's spring ~ so one must spring from the seat....and venture forth! Your seating seems to be an integral part of your garden scheme, and by planting your various seating arrangements, the invitation to your garden is very welcoming :) I'd like to come and "sit a spell" :)
Very nice garden, I love it.
Oops ~ I sit out in the garden for hours reading. I've never timed myself ~ maybe I should, but then I'd have to admit to my laziness. I arranged my sitting area so I can look out and enjoy the garden. I'd quit gardening if I felt the need to jump up every time I saw something that needed doing.
I always end my work in the garden with relaxing, however I remember also days while only reading book.
Those days are DOGGY days (sorry Tara) when I completely neglect the garden. Those days I don't see weeds, plants to prune etc. The only message that can go throug is 'water!'.
...
Brilliant post.
..
cheers,
Ewa
You hit the nail right on the head with this one, Yolanda! And this also happens when Romie says at dusk, "Are you coming in for the evening now?" Me: "Yes, in just a minute." Oh so many minutes later...well, you know.
You're so right. Our humans never sit still when we're at our garden (mostly weekends). But it doesn't look anywhere as nice as yours.
I know! I'm the same, although I've never actually timed my sits. The way I garden, I do stuff for 15 minutes, and sit for a couple, then repeat.
I actually wanted to know if you could ID a tree for me, as I saw it in Holland, and thought you might know it. There's a photo on my May 16th post.
But now you're away on holiday, so maybe someone else will get to it first.
i am the same. of course, i love working in the garden, so that's good, but i also love for others to come enjoy the fruit of my labor. it can't happen enough. so from one gardener to another, your garden looks fantastic! thanks for the clever post!
Now don't throw that pot of geraniums at me but... I do sit in my garden from time to time. Not a whole lot but... I do like to enjoy my garden. Often I sit there and make lists in my garden journal so I don't feel guilty about not working when I see what needs to be done. Maybe you should try this method when you next take a cuppa out to the garden.
What a beautiful garden you have, Yolanda. I love the photo presentation especially the fourth photo were the cat is sitting on the chair.
Love, Love, Love this post! It is so true. I walk out w/ my morning coffee and endup dead heading a little here, smash a slug there, water this and oh sniff that... and where the heck is that cold cup of coffee. Your pictures are beautiful. My cat too seems to be the only who can relax anywhere in the garden at any time. But I can't imagine not gardening.... it feeds the soul. Thanks for the lovely tour.
So true! My garden setup isn't quite as "sitting-friendly," but every time I think of adding a bench, I'm sure I wouldn't use it anyway!
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