Tuesday, August 11, 2009

The Front Yard: Why?

So I just came in from cutting the lawn. I got eaten alive by mosquitos and nearly ran over the cord 3 times.
I still don't understand how I got myself into this predicament of owning a front yard. Is there any other situation where so much work and effort goes into maintaining a space that is so unused and pointless?
The whole concept of front yard seems so narcissistic to me. Are we just doing it to impress other people with front yards?
There must be a few people out there that actually enjoy their front yard. But the majority of people on our street evidently don't seem to care. Maybe all the people who like front yards should get together and live on the same street.
Our front yard is clearly one of the best on the street (thanks to my father-in-law who devotes a lot of time to it) but I can't help asking myself 'why?'. What is the point?

2 comments:

Peter said...

Front yards are fragile expressions of artistry that offer soothing balm to the confounded passerby.
Green lawns and trees provide oases of calm in an unruly and hectic world.
Tiny Gardens of Eden
Precisely because it is so difficult to do properly.. when it does work.. your neighbours know there is an expert at work somewhere and they wonder WHY DOES MY YARD SUCK??

Reuben said...

that is very eloquent but really it doesn't answer my main question.

Why do we feel the need to make everyone feel that their front yard is not as good as their neighbour's? What is the purpose in that? What exactly does that accomplish?