Digging In The Dirt

As we worked in the backyard this morning, I started feeling a bit like a gopher. When walking in the hills, I often see little eruptions of soil as some gopher or another cleans house, kicking dirt out the front door in what seems like a neverending battle against gravity. This is the only evidence of gopher home-building or remodeling that one is ever likely to see, and as I hauled wheelbarrow load after wheelbarrow load of weeds and branches out to the curb, I gained a deeper appreciation for the trials and travails of hapless, ground dwelling rodents everywhere. Much the same as gophers, the only evidence of our backyard labors that the neighbors are likely to see is me reappearing again and again with the wheelbarrow and the mountain of yard cuttings growing in the street.

What were we removing from our yard? Apparently, when plants get too heavy, they break and topple. The bougainvilleas were the first to go, snapping their supporting structures and toppling to the patio. This was followed by a branch of the avocado tree, which snapped and had to be pruned, leaving nearly 50 avocados stillborn. There were also the weeds along the right side of the house, which reminded me of the weeds growing along the right side of my mom's house long ago - an early and fondly remembered playground for me.

I also finally put together a worm bin, although I think I'll probably need to add more worms to it.

During the morning, I was also reminded of the fact that dirt contains a bacteria called Mycobacterium vaccae, which according to this article, "has antidepressant properties through activation of serotonin neurons". Play in the dirt. It's good for your mental health.

Back inside, I can't help but think that Tom Waits disapproves of my reading material.

Currently listening to: Sveinbjorn Beinteinsson "Edda"