Some of you may remember that I have always been at war with ivy at Snakepit Inc. and
until recently the ivy was winning. This anecdote should be read in that context:
I spent two hours outside pulling ivy off plants and windows. As
part of that, I had to go on all fours inside large shrubs. My neighbor
heard the crackling sounds (me pulling ivy, making up new swear words)
and feared that I was a coyote.
But luckily I wasn't.
Then I found a wonderful paperweight, all covered with dirt, inside a shrub! After a bath it looks like a wintry night sky.
It's not mine. I believe mother/father Earth brought it
up from the soil to thank me for being such a wonderful warrior for
her. Earth Day was yesterday, but I count this as a thank-you-present for having celebrated it.
Well, perhaps battling ivy is not quite the same thing as being a warrior for mother/father Earth. On the other hand, a certain power balance is desirable both in international politics and inside our gardens.