Real Dirt
It’s baaack. Real dirt. Sure all winter I’ve been doing laundry, washing shirts with spaghetti sauce dribbled down the front and socks with gray tinting the bottoms, but real dirt, nah, I haven’t really seen any. But as abruptly as winter comes upon us with the first frost, so has spring enter my life with the first dirt encrusted sweatshirt.
Graham had baseball practice and returned home with a sweatshirt caked in mud. “Mom, I slid a lot.” He beamed as he disrobed in the laundry room. And when I saw the shirt I felt the same awe that makes me stare out the window at the first snowfall. Something so natural and pure holds undefined beauty. And so for about one week each year I love the splendor of mud.
The daffodils poke through it, the robins dig in it and young boys wear it. The dirt that had been frozen and void for the last six months is now welcomed. This weekend we spread five cubic yards of manure. Oh yes, spring, how lovely. We have a passion for gardening, although I admit with each passing year, I loathe this task just a bit more. Maybe, really it is just my back with the bad attitude. But I am mesmerized by the dirt.
It smells wet and raw. It feels cold and clingy. The perennials - foxglove and hollyhocks and phlox and daisies - are all shooting their green tips through the dirt. There is nothing, nothing that gives me the sense of hope like a spring day in the dirt. Maybe because I know that soon all those feelings of renewal and freshness will be taken for granted. It will be summer and although the flowers will be lovely and the grass lush, I’ll forget how I missed the dormant dirt. I’ll complain when I see the dirt tracked through the house and endless smears of mud on pants and socks.
I’m going to make an actual print of the dirty sweatshirt picture. Those of you that have read this blog for a bit know that I have a bulletin board in my laundry room. I want the picture to remind me of the joy in the dirt. Because, as sure as my laundry baskets overflow each week, I will curse the dirt by the second week of June. And sometimes it takes a subtle sign for me to remember that under all the foliage and weeds and groundcover there is a layer of dirt filled with hope.
12 Responses to “Real Dirt”
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May 21st, 2008 at 10:56 pm
It is so wonderful to have you back sharing your “laundry moments” with us. I missed you so much.
Thanks for dishing us a little dirt. xoxo
May 21st, 2008 at 11:28 pm
I think the sliding in baseball is what helped coin the phrase “ground-in dirt” on all of the old Tide commercials. I have a baseball player. I feel your pain.
May 22nd, 2008 at 5:45 am
Great to have you back Kathy! Yes the mud has returned to my laundry also.
Oh and I am so jealous…..black baseball pants, you must have such a wise coach!
May God guide you with all that is going on!
May 22nd, 2008 at 8:14 am
Welcome back, Kathy! We missed you!
My son loves mud, too. Every day that he has practice he asks, “Is it supposed to rain today?” He loves those wet athletic adventures–the sloppier, the better!
May 22nd, 2008 at 4:19 pm
We missed you!!!!!! Oh, yes… the dirt is here. Dirt and grass stains and all that comes with SPRING!!! I secretly am loving this!! And seeing my life with 4 boys… !!
Audrey
May 22nd, 2008 at 5:24 pm
You capture the true feelings of those of us who love to garden and dig in the dirt even though we dont always express it so eloquently. And after the children (and dirty laundry) are gone from under your roof, you will have more time and find even more comfort from the good earth. God bless!!
May 22nd, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Hi Kathy
Funny you should write about dirt - just came in from a long afternoon in the mud - somehow aI manage to get it everywhere. Hope there is still some out there for the flowers!
Keep writing - really enjoy what Mom passes along
May 23rd, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Hi Kathy, Enjoyed your lesson from the laundry - dirt.
I sure miss those days when the five kids gave me plenty of it. They are all grown now and dealing with the dirt of our 12 grandchildren. There are only 3 boys among that group so I don’t think they have as much dirt as they could if they were all boys. There are a few girls that are Tom Boys so there is a little extra there.
Think of you often and enjoy reading your articles.
Take care and God Bless - Love, your former neighbor -
Adeline Wadel
May 24th, 2008 at 9:21 am
Hi Kathy,
I’m sending your dirt blog to someone who has no connection to the dirt of the earth buy unfortunately has had to deal with the dirt of human nature. She’s going through a tough time now and the analogy of bits of hope that poke through could open a whole lot of hope for her. How typical - all your insights can be slotted into so many of life’s situations, all seemingly unrelated. Thanks for your clarity.
May 26th, 2008 at 7:31 am
Ah Mud…My son plays ultimate frisbee…he has three shirts dotted in mud…they need another soak cycle. He has four shirts for the game…two of the years the kids picked black for the back drop…they were smart kids the last two year…white…ugh….I agree the smell does overcome me with a sense of renewal…spring….but the trail of mud through the computer room that the dog brings every morning….thank god for a good vacuum.
Every few days…I would check you website…glad to have you back….I hope all is well with you and family…amazing how your insight and outlook is a bright spot in a day/week…and is missed. Thanks for added the bright spot to my day…. Mary : )
May 26th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
And so are you, so glad to read a post!
May 28th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
So glad you are back! I’ve missed your posts.
Unfortunately the dirt in my life seems to never go away. We’ve had a dustbowl in our backyard for almost a year now. Hopefully this summer will see it covered in green grass.
My girls seem to enjoy it though. One particularly hot day we played in the sprinklers then at the end I let my 4 year old jump in all the mud puddles she could find.