by James Wallace Harris, 3/13/25
Before I began the battle of my backyard, it looked like the photo on the left. After weeks of hard work, the photo on the right shows how it looks now. And that’s only one section.
Nature is better looking, isn’t it? I let things go for fifteen years. I told myself I was creating a nature preserve. Last fall, when it was time to pay to have the leaves raked, I raked them myself. I thought it would be good exercise. At first, it hurt my back, and I almost gave up. But then I decided that at 73, I wasn’t ready to give in. So I stuck with it. Eventually, I discovered that raking leaves made my back stronger. In fact, if I went a few days without working in the yard, my back would hurt.
That’s when I decided I needed to work in the yard all year round. My goal is to clear out all the overgrowth and get grass growing. Then put in a privacy fence. And after that, decide how to landscape. That should give me years of work.
I have spinal stenosis, so I can only work about an hour before my legs go numb. When it’s not raining or snowing, I go out and work in the morning for 30-60 minutes. It feels good and makes me healthier, but also wears me out for the rest of the day.
I tore out all the dead azaleas in the front flower beds. I’m trying to figure out the best way to remove large patches of old ivy. I’ve been pulling that stuff up by the roots, but it seems endless and difficult. I’m thinking of buying a tiller to churn up the ground, and see if I can just rake out that ivy.
What’s weird is I don’t even like working in the yard. I accept that it’s good exercise and it needs to be done. It’s a good hobby but I’m not a true believer.
Philosophically, I believe nature should just take over. However, I don’t think my neighbors share my philosophy. There seems to be a social contract that if you live in a suburb, your yard should conform with all the others.
I feel like Sisyphus. Working in the yard is the rock that I roll up the hill daily. I take a certain satisfaction that it hasn’t killed me. Hopefully, it will make me stronger.
JWH
Auxiliary Memory 
Hi James! My name is Bailey. I’ve been reading your blog for a long time.. I’m a little on the morbid side… very positive for the most part.. but life is crazy!!!! And don’t have pretty little faith in humanity. I first saw your essay/blog a couple years ago… “50 reasons why the human race is too stupid to survive”. I was hooked since then. I’m almost 41 but feel like we’re connected in some way.. or I’m mistaking that for the fact I subscribe to so many of the things you’ve shared !!! I have not read every one… some don’t relate to me so much… but the ones I have read… a lot of them.. every word you write is so beautiful and always has a way of resonating with me and it’s like your sharing stuff that I feel and think as well. I’ve been wanting to message you for years to say thank you for what you do… I don’t know why of all days today I’m finally doing it. I think i was afraid ur blog may end someday and I’d never get there chance to say hi and thank you. And I would have been disappointed in myself if that happened.
Anyways I appreciate you, what you do, and for sharing your gift of writing with us people here in the World Wide Web.. haha. Look forward to ready more of your writings.
Thank you James!!! Take care!!
Sincerely, Bailey M.
Thank you, Bailey, for your kind words. I don’t plan to disappear anytime soon. Your comments are very encouraging for me to keep writing and to try harder. I seldom get comments so yours is very appreciated.
glad to hear that yer not becoming sedentary. what’s native to western tennessee and the mississippi valley? what sort of flora can you introduce without upsetting prevailing balance? allowing for a changing climate, can you raise a banyan tree in memphis? would a norfolk island pine thrive and prosper? is the soil conducive to a pumpkin patch? consider the possibilities,eh.
I know nothing about trees and plants. For now, I’m just trying to get a lawn going that won’t embarass my neighbors. But I’m hoping to make the backyard into a wild flower meadow for the birds and bees. I’ve never seen an Norfolk Pine around here. I do have a lot of old trees. Some are huge. But I don’t know what they are.
I saved “50 reasons why the human race is too stupid to survive” too as it was so spot on.
I think I prefer the before picture and the biodiversity. I hope you leave the ivy growing around the trees as it’s a useful food source for bees and birds.
I definitely like the before picture best. The more we can let nature be its natural self, the better.
I admire your courage! As a fellow gardener, I can appreciate how satisfying it is to sort out the garden, and it’s a great way to maintain strength. I love your idea of planting flowers for wildlife—it’s good to give back to nature! Keep it up; who knows, you might just discover a new passion along the way! I agree with removing the ivy. It can take over and it is not easy to remove.