We have fairy rings. Fairy rings in the front yard. Fairy rings in the back yard. Fairy rings in the orchard. Wherever I look, fairy rings. The interesting ones are the ones in the orchard, which came with the house. Instead of rings, they’re more like serpentine paths. I have only myself to blame for the front and back yards, I suppose. I know that I need to de-thatch and aerate the lawn, and it wouldn’t hurt to occasionally pick up the hundred or so pounds of chewed sticks that the dogs leave lying about (perfect fuel for fungi!). Unfortunately, I keep coming up against an insurmountable obstacle: I really don’t like lawn maintenance.

If I had my way, I’d turn the entire front and back yards into mini forests, canopied with maple, sumac, ash and hawthorn, the ground covered in anything other than grass and weeds that is willing to grow here. No mowing, little or no weeding and far less watering. We’ve already got quail and pheasants nesting out there, along with various blackbird species, damned starlings, robins and tons of other little hoppity birds. Oh yeah, killdeer, doves, hawks and the occasional owl. With more trees and bushes, maybe we could get some of the grouse to wander over this way as well as increase the number of quail and pheasant. Anyone out there willing to convince my wife that this is the way to go?

psst!– In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve started a serial novel. Okay, more of a serial short story. The goal is to create a really bad noirish detective story. In case you’re interested, it is in the new category: Serials. Anyone willing to write a chapter or two for this thing?

Related Images: