A Day at the DIY Mecca

Yesterday I was the world's most sought-after woman.

How flattering, and a little appalling too.

When Central Pennsylvanians go in for gardening, they're serious about it.--and those little stone walls you see decorating the landscape--the ones that were built by the early settlers?--these guys are still doing it.

I got accosted in the parking lot on the way in to work, and the questions never stopped till the store closed. I've destroyed my second pair of stout leather gloves this week, and when I told my boss I needed something more durable, he told me they didn't stock the kevlar in my size--with a perfectly straight face! The man is a joker.

I answered more questions about what to plant where--perennials are my favorite, so a number of new homeowners are trying them out now--and told about a dozen very nice people "we're completely out of pink dogwood, I'm so sorry". They are magnificent right now; the ones on our street are a glorious blazing pink. Anyone stocking the things yesterday could have named their price.

It was a beautiful spring day, and the local populace approached landscape gardening with the zeal of the converted.

By closing time--which caught about 25 customers by surprise, the plant displays were decimated, the staff, still well-mannered and smiling, were looking a bit hunted.

I'd found mid-day, when the demand for carts was at a peak, that cheerfully volunteering to locate one would give me a couple of minutes breather--because it meant a quick dash to the parking lot. More than one customer found they had extra help loading their haul "because you want my cart!" "You're so right! Not that I wouldn't be chatting you up anyway." Laughs all around, and I returned in triumph with a cart.

It was a fun day!

My trophy for the day? A beautiful honeysuckle vine with purple veined leaves and pink-washed gold blossoms. It smelled incredible, and reminded me of summer evenings in the south, when the air is warm as a caress, and sweet with perfume.