Let's see: two solid weeks of work preparing for parties, a party weekend, followed by a week of hosting family - that adds up to taking the rest of the summer off, doesn't it? I wish I were one of those people who could multitask, and then I'd have taken blogworthy photos of the two graduation parties, followed by two birthday cakes for two of my favorite people (my son and my mom), and the anniversary celebration (my parents, 56 years!), and Father's Day - but I'm not. Needless to say, there's been no junking. There's been a fair amount of cleaning, cooking, yard work and gardening, which has given my idle mind time to consider life's great questions. I posed this one to myself: If I could do only one, what would it be: gardening or junking?
Every morning I go out to the garden, and there's something new waiting for me. Like peas. Only twice in my life (when my husband brought home tablecloths from a friend, and when my neighbor dropped off some awesome metal porch furniture) have I awakened to new junk. Advantage: gardening.
I make money selling junk. I spend money on gardening. Advantage: junking.
Some flowers are self-sowing and produce multitudes of offspring with no intervention or effort on my part. The same, sadly, cannot be said of Shiny Brites, Jadite or vintage tablecloths. Advantage: gardening.
I can eat what I grow in the garden: in this case, lettuce, arugula and sage. I can eat junk food, but I cannot eat junk. Advantage: gardening.
Unforeseen events can ruin the garden: hail, pests, drought. Bad things can happen with junk: stains don't come out, a Swanky Swig gets chipped, the dog stands too close to the Christmas tree and wags his tail vigorously. I think this one's a tie.
I have seriously injured myself gardening. In fact, I took up junking during a long period when my back was such a wreck that I really couldn't garden. Now, however, thanks to modern medicine, I can do both! But I don't think I've ever been disabled from junking. Advantage: junking.
If you don't hurt yourself, however, gardening builds serious strength and burns calories. As for junking, two words: Auction food. Advantage: gardening.
Gardening improves my mood. (Did you know that there is bacteria in soil that has been shown in experiments to mimic the effect of Prozac? Good times!) From time to time I have experienced a junker's high, but I have to admit, it's fleeting. Advantage: gardening.
If I had to pick, right now I'd pick gardening. At the same time, I'm pretty glad I've got plans to go to a few sales at the end of the week. Most of all, I'm glad I don't have to choose.
This is by far my favorite post. Glad we don't have to choose!
Posted by: Lorri Lay | June 20, 2012 at 12:06 AM
Holy moly, I don't know how I would choose! Luckily (???) folks pass on year around so the estate sales soldier on when the garden is on hiatus. Maybe it is a seasonal thing. Junk in the winter and garden in the summer.
Posted by: Kathy | June 20, 2012 at 12:58 AM
Well well, I was just thinking abut you tonight, and by God, here you are!
Well, I don't have much of a garden to play with in this chapter of my life, so at the moment, junking wins. But I certainly see the dilemma. I'm not surprised about Prozacian soil, as I've gotten high off gardening many times, and I totally dig (no pun intended) starting plants from seed. Nothing more Zen than hearing the birds tweeting, while the soil runs through your fingers......
Posted by: Maria (Magia Mia) | June 20, 2012 at 02:43 AM
A hard choice indeed. I don't junk as much as I garden at this point in time, but I can't see giving up on hunting and making treasures from junk.
I blog about gardening here, by the way.
http://www.flowersforums.com/ruth/blog/
Posted by: Ruth | June 20, 2012 at 03:19 AM
Beautiful post. Glad you don't have to choose? Me too!
Posted by: Tina | June 20, 2012 at 06:32 AM
Maybe that's why my husband loves gardening so much...tee hee.
Posted by: Musings from Kim K. | June 20, 2012 at 08:29 AM
With gardening, sometimes volunteer plants pop up in a spot that seems just right, like they knew right where to grow with no help from me. Junk never finds a spot on its own, and sometimes it can take me forever to figure out just where to put the stuff. That's a point in favor of gardening! Very fun post, thanks.
Posted by: JKaye | June 20, 2012 at 08:57 AM
Oh please don't make me choose...please...I couldn't make any money with my Horticulture degree but actually working outside every day was amazing. I still feel most comfortable in a greenhouse. But junking oh junking is like going home. It is a tie for sure...smiles...Renee
Posted by: Renee | June 20, 2012 at 10:14 AM
Gosh, this is a puzzler. The two things that I really love doing. I think I could honestly give up the junking if I had to make a choice, because I feel like I'm blooming right along with the flowers when I work in the garden. Also, I've got a friend who regularly leaves me junky surprises by the back door!
Posted by: Carol @ Old Glory Cottage | June 20, 2012 at 03:31 PM
Your conumdrum here is easily answered...
God created Spring and Summer for gardening, and Fall and Winter for junking.
And just like that....so easy peasy! :)
Congratulations, Hip Hip Hoorays, and Kudos all around! Such exciting, and busy, June you are having. The best kind of busy!
Posted by: Whit | June 20, 2012 at 04:07 PM
I'm happy to hear this is working out for for you and I do think darkness, snow, sleet and rain are nature's way of guiding us out of the garden and into the thrift shops.
BTW -- spent the last 48 hours mentally applying your apron rating system to a multitude of out-of-town antique and thrift shops.
Posted by: Into Vintage | June 21, 2012 at 02:02 PM