My mother used to call them Depression Greens, and over the years I've spent a lot of time and energy mowing them and weeding them out of my garden. Not that I don't recognize their worth, but the old saw is true ... a weed is any plant growing where you don't want it to.
But they all have value in their own right. The same sheep sorrel that is weeded so merrily out of the vegetable patch is one of the three ingredients in Essiac ... the native cancer remedy. Yarrow is one of the world's oldest herbs known to man and is still the best flu remedy I know of. Queen Anne's lace is a famous remedy for headaches. There are dozens of delicious recipes calling for Dandelions in my cookbooks. ( If you have to ask why I haven't made them at home, you clearly have not shared your yard with pets or free ranging wildlife.)
And of course, because i have perennial herbs throughout the yard, invariably something will 'jump the fence' and land in the lawn. Many herbs are persistent to the point of being invasive, and the different fragrances are the best bit about mowing the lawn. ( the subject of how this would be a wildflower meadow, not a lawn, if not for the darned ticks is a separate rant for another day)
In countryspeak, when I use the ride on, I have a two and a half hour lawn. It wouldn't take nearly as much time if I hadn't planted so many trees, shrubs and perennials. But of course, then it wouldn't be nearly as interesting either.
A lot of the trees were planted four years ago, which means that this is the time when they are all really shooting ahead. It takes three to four years for a transplanted tree to really settle into its new spot. Roots have to grow and it has to acclimatize.
Amateur gardeners and home landscapers often get discouraged when the tree doesn't seem to 'do anything' after they plant it. After all, they have spent a lot of time and energy ... not to mention money .... choosing what they felt was the right tree. In many cases, the tree gets moved in the hopes that the new location will prove more suitable. Shifting it around of course isn't going to let it properly settle.... so often the tree is discarded completely and ends its days in the green cart.
While its sad to see trees and shrubs not live up their full potential, its a genuine tragedy when this happens to pets. It only takes a quick look at Kijiji each day to see how many good pets are being shifted.
There is a real "chicken and egg" aspect to the free online ad sites. Did the pet wind up there because its owner was irresponsible .... or was the original owner able to find the pet there in the first place because there were no questions asked. In most cases, the pets did not come from a reputable breeder or rescue.... because their adoption contracts included a clause insisting that the pet be returned if he or she could not be kept for any reason.
What do Kijiji, backyard breeders, pet stores and unsavoury puppy brokers like the Benoits have in common? They all offer the convenience of the no questions asked solution. You won't catch them invading people's privacy by checking vet references. No Sir.
Like a used car salesman on a Saturday afternoon .... they are all about the sale. Unlike the car salesman, there is no "lemon law' in Nova Scotia to protect unwary consumers who purchase pets. Instead of a good deal, they often get more than they bargained for with a lifetime of high vet bills, undisclosed behavior issues and hidden health problems.
Advertising is normally subject to legislated standards and regulation. Why? For consumer protection of course and just as importantly, to protect the reputations of reputable vendors of a product.
What time is it? Its time to recognize that legislation to ban the traffic of pets on the free online ad sites protects animal lovers as much as the animals. Its time to remember that good legislation, such as the increased penalties for drinking and driving, has the potential to educate and improve both quality of life and public safety. Its time to realize that this is a lifesaving tool that is within the grasp of our legislators.
This summer, while our new provincial government is preparing its agenda, its time to let your MLA ( find their contact info at Members - Constituencies) know that this is an issue that is important to you as a voter.
It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds. - Samuel Adams
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