Don’t Pull Your Hair Out. Pull Weeds Instead.
I’ve become addicted to pulling weeds.
It all started a few weeks back, when my attempt to mow the lawn was thwarted by an army of skinny, spiky stalks that refused to move, instead ducking down under the blades, springing back up on the other side, victorious middle fingers in the grass.
This means war.
Out came an old Phillips screwdriver. On went my gardening gloves. Outfitted for battle, I squatted down and pulled my very first weed.
Which was more satisfying than I could have ever dreamed.
So satisfying that I spent the next 3 hours hunched over the lawn with my weapon, digging in and yanking out weeds and their roots, filling a giant green Forceflex bag with the carnage.
This has gone on for two weeks, this identifying and excavating of weeds. I can’t stop. I get up early to make time to pull weeds, timing my stints with a Giant’s game or KALX DJ I like, because weed-pulling most definitely needs a soundtrack. Or maybe not, as there have been days I weed in silence, which has become more therapeutic than my actual therapy sessions.
I’ve been dreaming about weeds and the act of weeding. I scan every patch of grass I pass for weeds like I’m searching for spare change. I would rather weed then smoke weed.
There’s another reason why I have found this all so addictive and satisfying: pulling a weed is like popping a zit. It just is. I’m not just ridding my lawn of weeds; I’m giving it a facial.
I’m going to be torn when I pull out that last weed, secretly hoping new ones will grow for me to tend to. Maybe I will grow weeds. All I know is that they make me happy.
xoxo
- Eton Self-Powered Outdoor Radio, Amazon. 2. Xcelite Phillips Screwdriver, Amazon. 3.
- Water Logged Watering Can, Modcloth. 4. Fermob Luxembourg Footrest (used as stool) in Verbena, Fermob. 5. Bogs Urban Farmer Slides, Bogs. 6. Orla Kiely Gardening Gloves, Amara.
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This is completely true. I don’t know how it all started but I am addicted to weeding. It was just a few weeds near the bushes in the backyard that I pulled. Suddenly, I am tearing up weeds in my next door neighbor’s yard that borders mine! I can sit there and pull weeds for hours, literally. It calms my anxious mind and so satisfying in a clean and productive way. I am outside and breathing fresh air, my hands get in the dirt and I am stretching leg muscles bending and twisting. I pull those roots out so hard and it helps with anger issues as well. A couple of times, my neighbor pulled in the driveway while I was pulling her weeds. I didn’t know what to say or do. SO I just kept my head down and ignored. I am guessing she was happy she didn’t have to worry about it. My family thinks I am wacko. I don’t care. I went out at 3 am with a flashlight and pulled the weeds in peace! NO interruptions, or cars driving by or nosy neighbors wondering why I am pulling weeds between the cracks of their sidewalks and driveway. I have had a few traumatic experiences in my life and I am guessing its my way to work through it. I spot it on other places but refrain from bending down and pulling. The guy down the street uses his snow blower on everyones sidewalk come winter time. He clears our driveways and sidewalks whether we want him to or not. HE is up early in the morning. SO I guess to him that is his version of weed pulling!!
Hi Shawna! Thanks so much for sharing your story of your own weeding obsession. You perfectly captured how I feel pulling weeds and why I love it so much. I feel so lucky to even have a yard, and in that yard there are weeds, which is like having my own personal army of a thousand therapists. Keep pulling!
Have a great day. Thanks again for taking the time to write us.
xoxo
Paula + Jslow