Lemon Balm

I've decided (with the help of my husband) that I should buy plants that will either come back the next year, or have some other value to them.  So now I try to only buy perennials and fruit and veggies.  I do buy geranium every year though.  I love the stuff.  It is an annual here in Idaho.  I try to bring it inside during the winter, but I don't always have success with it.  I miss the big bushes that would grow in So. California.


I also like plants that I don't have to work with too much. I prune it, shape it and let it go.  I don't like to micromanage much in my life so I definitely don't like to micromanage my garden...I want it to be OK by itself for awhile.  That isn't really the case.  I really should weed more often, but then again, it is working for now.  It never is the best looking garden, but I like it.


I bought 3 blueberry bushes!  I really like blueberries and I wanted some bushes....so I bought them. I wanted to put them on the fence border to fill in the spaces between a few other bushes (that are only nice looking, but bear no edible fruit).  Dave thought that they'd be better in my "flower garden".  It really only is a flower garden for part of the summer. I let it get overrun with lemon balm and other stuff and then since I don't like to micromanage (weed) I just let it go.  Every spring I have a mess to contend with.  I agreed with him that we should have an easier way to manage the side flower garden so I consented to putting the blueberry bushes there. 


First, though, I had to take out the lemon balm.  Boy is that being a task and a half!  My friends, the Mighty Mungers, came over tonight and brought a huge victory.  I still need to dig in and dig out the roots.  I am confident that no matter how much I did it out, I will always have lemon balm there.  I don't mind it, but I just need to keep it in check better.  My friends did a great job of helping me with the big stuff.  Together we were able to do more than I would have done by myself.  I know that for a fact because I spent over an hour this past weekend and only got maybe 1/5 of it done.  In the past hour the rest is gone.  Well the rest above ground, and some of the root balls.

Dave and I and
3 of the Mighty Munger crew

As I was wrestling with the roots I was reminded again how I need to keep things in my life in check.  Even good things (the lemon balm smells good and is really pretty, I think) can take over and become the focus of my life, when I know that shouldn't be so.  Sometimes I need friends who will come along side me and help me take care of some big stuff.  But I know that I'll have to dig down deep to get at the stuff that is under the surface.

Hebrews 12:1-3

New International Version (NIV)

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,² fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³ Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.