Virginia Creeper

I had a note planned for today. But today is actually now tomorrow because the hours ran out of the day.

It’s the Virginia Creeper’s fault.

No. Actually it’s some rose bushes in my brother’s neighborhood’s fault.

The roses were pretty so my parents and I had a discussion about our rose bush that led me to check on our rose bush and in the process notice a vine that was creeping up trees and all along the ground.

Virginia Creeper.

Convinced it wasn’t poisonous, I attacked the Virginia Creeper after supper tonight.

I pulled vines off of trees.

I pulled vines out of bushes.

I pulled vines out of the ground.

I found the mother vine that had tentacles half way across the yard.

I formed and popped a blister on my hand and I emerged from the three hour attack with at least three scratches on my skin.

And now I’m sore.

I was already sore from scrubbing a kitchen.

But now I’m sorer.

And I wish the Virginia Creeper would creep itself by to Virginia and stay.

Here’s what I learned today, though: It’s best to clean grease and dirt when they first appear rather than letting them build up for years, and it’s best to pull weeds and vines when they first grow rather than letting them grow out of control and suck life out of flowers, plants, bushes, and trees.

I know that neither of these things is profound. But I know that they are true.

Just ask the Virginia Creeper blister on my hand.