A downside of having a house on acreage is the wildlife that also enjoys your property. I have a terrible problem with deer and squirrels eating my plants.  I fight ticks, feral cats that like to sleep on the convertible top of my car (although my son gave me the solution to that one), possums, skunks, snakes, hawks, etc.

Every once in a while (especially during cold weather) I will find where something has pulled out one of my crawlspace vents and gone inside.

About a week ago the clear odor of decomposing animal started coming from under my front porch and a little from the back deck. My son-in-law offered to crawl under the house to get it, but I didn’t want anyone going under there with a rotting animal. I know it will finally decay enough and there will be no smell. It has been dissipating daily.

Today I was by the back deck digging up the jasmine plant that tried to take over my house last year.

As I bent down to get out all the roots, I could smell “Mr. Stinky”! I looked through the lattice around the back deck and saw a vent cover that had been pulled off. Obviously there had been a perfect opening for critters there and I had no idea.

I got this old body down on all fours and crawled under the deck (praying I would be able to get back up and not die under there if something went wrong…I didn’t think to take my cell phone).

I was able to get the vent back in place and tried to reinforce it staying in place with some rebar stakes on a slant hammered into the ground.

I made it back out and up, put the lattice back and had one of my “maybe this place is too much for me moments”. It only lasted a minute.

My daughter, Heidi, who lives close by and her husband always offer to help, but I have issues with ever accepting help from anyone.  I also have issues with wanting everything done RIGHT NOW when I discover the need and/or decide to do it.  I also convince myself that the activity is good for my body, mind and soul…although to look at me, that isn’t a visible or clear result right now.

After taking care of the vent, I started weeding the area where I had pulled out the jasmine and where I’m planning to create a kitchen herb garden. My mood switched back to excitement about all the wonderful plans I have for the yard and my container gardening.  I was again in love with my property.

As I weeded, I kept digging out thistle (which is everywhere and very deeply rooted).  I switched back to exasperated….so many weeds, so little time.   I felt frustrated again.  Then I calmed myself down thinking “you just need to weed, put down some newspaper or cardboard, mulch over it, and all will be good there for at least a season.”  Just more money for mulch and more labor.  Geez…exasperated again.

I think I am definitely a “multiple personalities gardener”.  There is:

*A “Grandma Gardener” ~ loving when the flowers bloom and things look beautiful, remembering going to my grandma’s and loving to see her garden and flowers and wanting to share the same with my grandchildren;

*An “Architect Gardener” ~ creating plans for a more beautiful property with walkways, new beds, incorporating more edible landscaping, etc.;

*A “Lumberjack Gardener” ~ trying to clear more of the wooded areas and create walking paths;

*A “Grumpy Gardener” ~ irritated with animals and pests that eat what I have planted; carrying on a never ending battle with weeds; fighting a losing battle with fire ants;

*A “Cut Bait and Run Gardener” ~ tired of the battles and ready to throw in the towel and sell;

*A “Front Porch Gardener” ~ who after a busy and dirty day in the yard, showers, grabs a glass of iced tea and at the end of the day loves to sit on the front porch or back deck and enjoy the birds, the sounds of nature, my plants, and my flowers.  It may be tough and frustrating at times, but in the end it gives me joy….and that’s what life is all about.

As I pulled the last thistle out of the future herb garden, I shook the dirt off the roots and a huge four-leafed clover dropped at my feet.

It was the biggest four-leafed clover I had ever found.  I felt my property was saying “Hey old gal, things are going to be just fine.  Even with your multiple garden personalities, even with the good, the bad and the stinky, it’s a wonderful and ‘joyeful’ life.”