In Retrospect

Platforms

It was a simpler time, 2009 … we had only just finished installing the last of our garden’s hardscaping and things were not only simpler, they were cleaner, more tranquil and wide open (literally and figuratively). As demonstrated by the photo above, the sky seemed to be the limit …

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Tiers

Taking in the bird’s eye view of the ’09 backyard, it looks nice; also controlled, interesting. I recall feeling I wanted more — plants, containers, rocks, decorative items, more stuff! So, over the next few years I spent lots of time and money gathering all of those things and more. All along spending much time stacking, arranging and moving those things around and around, until 2011 when we ended up on our local garden tour. But once that moment of notoriety had passed a restlessness set in and I wanted new again. I decided everything had to go. Sales ensued, stuff was got rid of and I began to bandy about ideas for a new scheme … Then, as regular readers know, my health issues made themselves known and everything stalled, all plans eventually coming to a halt. Now here we are, it’s almost the end of 2013 and I’m still trying to get to that place where I can truly start over.

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Shipping out

Yes, I’m still trying to get rid of things even now, still trying to roll back to zero. These large concrete containers, for instance, came to us in ’09 (you can see them in the previous photo) and it was strange to see them packed onto a trailer the other day, leaving us for good. They’d occupied different spots in our backyard for 4-plus years and housed various large succulents and other plants; they were fixtures. The loaded trailer was left in our driveway until the next day and from the house I could see our plants peering over the fence from the wrong side and I felt a pang; I mean where were they going next? The next day I realized I’d moved on when I found myself relishing the now-open spaces the containers used to occupy. I’m ashamed admitting that there’s still plenty of things that need to go, but I swear I’m making headway finally. Things — heavy things — have been given away and some have already gone, while others are just awaiting their tow-away; still others can be found at Vintique Alley, here in Riverside, a perfect venue for my overflow. How is it that I have yet more things if I’ve been actively divesting for years now? All I can say is: Once a hunter-gatherer, always one … and, I’m better but not perfect. And what of my new scheme, my plan for a new garden? It’s in my head. But it feels a lot like 2009.

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VINTIQUE ALLEY

3758 Elizabeth Street, Riverside CA 92506; 951 . 784 . 4005  Sunday: 12pm – 5pm; Tuesday – Saturday: 11am – 6pm; Monday: Closed  •  vintiquealley@yahoo.com