Back to Beauty

I had a pretty bad week last week and I needed something to fix my attitude. As a result, on Saturday I spent the entire day outside doing yard work. This was my third weekend in a row of outdoor labor - chainsaws and shovels, weeding, leaf/litter reduction in the woods, digging and planting...

It was hot.
I got sun burn and apparently unwittingly found poison ivy.
I worked out every last muscle in my body.
I pulled several ticks off of my body.

And you know what? I was totally blissed out. I like the progress I see when I work outside. Overgrown and unkept is slowly becoming a little tidier. I think the best way to picture it is the forest and chaotic wilderness is barely held in check. It looks like it could take over again at any moment but is just tidy enough not to look wild. I don't want it to look too tame. The woods are fantastic - why tame that?

I also harvested some mulberries from the enormous tree outside my house. A lot of mulberries. There are so many more to pick - I have to get those today before they are gone. Those birds are some stiff competition. Just look at them all! So delicious.

Working outside and beautifying my environment brings me satisfaction that I don't get anywhere else. I think I'm addicted. I went to get coffee this morning and looked out my kitchen window at the side of the house.

View from the kitchen:

Those leaves - I just want to clean them up! But it's Monday and I need to work.

I really like discovering what the previous owners of this house did. I uncovered huge old grape vines - it looks like there used to be a vineyard on one side of my house. Those vines are old - at least 30 years. I'm researching how to prune them back to a manageable size and how to propagate them. I see some fruit buds on some of the vines, so I guess I'll see what kind of grapes they are before I start devising my plan...

There are a ton of different plant varieties around my house - most of which I didn't plant.

These bushes, I think they are faux orange trees, are lovely!

And the woods behind my house are just gorgeous. I'm a fan of this little stand of trees.

Of the plants I have added to the landscape, I am most impressed with the size of these hostas...seriously, Cretaceous-huge.

Just waiting for my tiger lilies to bloom and BAM! Crazy colors and multiple layers of awesomeness.

It is just so satisfying to see everything growing and thriving. I wonder if other INFJs like gardening and physical activity like this as fulfilling as I do.