Tending My Garden in a Manly Way (The First Rose of the Year)

I'm so excited. THE FIRST ROSE! I spotted it in the front yard after having just walked home from attending the progressive Roosevelt Institute's "Developing the Progressive Policy Landscape" seminar. Robert Reich, Former Secretary of Treasury under Clinton, was their big name speaker. I'll be posting my posting my observations after I recover. I spent 4.5 hours trying to listen carefully and jotting down my observations. It gave me much critical insight into the Berkeley character and political atmosphere. I am realizing just how much progressive policy makers don't understand the value character of the majority of the country. Anyways...

I planted those roses as bare roots and have cared for them all semester. After so much hard work and literally blood, sweat and bruises (but no tears) I am seeing fruition and bloom-age. Being able to work with my hands to create something beautiful is, I fear, a joy that is lost in the urban environment and more generally modernity.

Gardening, I would argue, should be considered the "ultimate manly art." Much of what I do is more like construction and carpentry than what most consider to be a feminine art form. I consider it "a manly art" because by my pain, labor, sweat and domination of nature (that might be pushing it) create "prettiness."

With my position as garden manager at Cloyne Court, I often feel that I spend more time cleaning up after people than anything else. I get tired of playing "Garden Maid" quite often but moments like this make it all worth it.

I took these pictures a few days ago and have been meaning to post them. Here are some other pictures of my labor of love: the Cloyne Court Backyard.

(click on a photo to enlarge it)