Cool winds off the ocean keep my goose down vest zipped tight as I struggle to put my orange Volunteer safety vest over it. With my pink suede work gloves, shears and lopper I head over to a mess of brambles, sun-dried golden rod, ragweed and gnarled vines spilling over into the parking lot.
My volunteer work here at Edisto consists of cutting back the overgrowth in the parking lots, the car parks.
I am greeted by:
TangleWood, Thorny Vines, Old Goldenrod and Ragweed
An hour passes. Then two. I am making progress. Neat piles of trimmed branches, old vines, dead wood lined the edge of the parking area. My greatest surprise is soon to come.
Neat Piles of Brush
Tackling the dead brush is slow and tedious. Intertwined are ropes of thorny vines. Each time I have to use my shears to clip them off at ground level. Coming up on hour 4, I’m tired now and want to stop. I spot something green under the brambles. My passing thought is that it’s a clump of pampas grass.
It turns out to be a baby rendition of the state tree: a Palmetto. It takes a half hour just to get most of the twisted sisters off the little tree. Most of its little palm fronds are bent from their long confinement underneath the brambles.
Baby Palmetto
As the breeze picks up, I am filled with joy to see the little wobbly palm waving around. As much as to say Look at me! I’m free!
Somehow, my tiredness doesn’t seem to matter anymore.
Love, Annie
Free!
What a good volunteer you are to free the little guy. I am so proud of you. Beautiful blue sky. Weather is better up here. Going to be in the high 40s all week. Yeah! Good Job Annie!
Ah, thank you!
What a great post. I so appreciate your outlook on lite and nature. That little palmeto will never forget you. Have a continued enlightening day.
Hope you are having enlightening days as well!
What a synch, I had just been thinking of you and your way of life, contemplating why I haven’t done it myself, and concluding that for the moment I am content to let you do it for me.
But seriously, I was going stir crazy here in the house and finally got myself out to do some ‘winter gardening’, and I thought, THAT is what I’d miss – my garden!
But then I saw this post, and see that even on the road, you are managing to keep close to nature and get your hands in the earth, or at least, on the branches! Great job, cheers, Sarah
Lots of landscape and gardening jobs on the road! I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Thank you, Sarah!
Comment from Gia:
The baby Palmetto thanks you for freeing it… It wanted you to find it and You did !
yaaa
delightful heartwarming photo of it…
ps.. for some reason I can not comment on wordpress
My pleasure, Baby Palmetto!
That fresh air must feel so good Annie. You and the Baby Palmetto share such a wonderful and liberating sense of freedom. Well done on your good work!
I’ll not forget that little palm. Another chance happening. Isn’t life so full of simple pleasures!