July 16, 2026

One of the joys of discovering my backyard is identifying which self-seeding plants are noxious or native. For example, I did not realize Prunella vulgaris, the common self-heal, heal-all, is native with a close cousin to one that is noxious. The shape of the leaf distinguishes which is native to our area and which has been propagated from other regions. As a novice in Backyard Habitat, I am still learning the difference and thus mindful of what I pull out and what I allow to grow. While all plants have the potential to support wildlife habitat, it is the native plants that provide nutrients, our native pollinators and insects can best process.​

Another plant that keeps popping up in my vegetable/flower garden is horsetail. When the Backyard Habitat consultant initially came to my house, she was surprised to see it growing because it typically grows in moist areas. She thought my space was drier. What I have discovered is that there is a spring flowing under my garden. This year, the horsetail is growing profusely. Weekly I use the hoe to curtail the growth. There were a few horsetails growing around the zinnia starts I had planted which remained in the ground. I feared I would uproot the zinnia. Now that the zinnia’s are established and flowering, I am more comfortable pulling the horsetail.

In our Gospel for Sunday, Jesus tells another parable about the weeds of the field. While folks were asleep an enemy came and sowed weeds into the field. When the farm workers became aware, they panicked. They quickly wanted to pluck up what was deemed intrusive. Luckily, the landowner cautioned their zealous spirit to choose patience and the tincture of time to determine what was actually intrusive and what was nurturing.

Taking the time to discern is important in farming, gardening, and most aspects of life. As human beings we are impatient to know the result. However, it is in taking the time, allowing things to play out, to grow, to shift and change that we can gain insight into how to proceed. We may need more information, someone else may be needed to add to the conversation, and in some situations, we may miss what is in plain sight.

One of the movies I watched while flying to Indianapolis was Reminders of Him. In this romantic drama based on Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel other people had assessed the main character. They were holding their portion of the narrative and refusing to consider other possibilities. Folks had determined the main character (Kenna) was a weed to be ignored and plucked out. I will not spoil the movie for you other than to say that another character was willing to look beyond the surface and see the depth and beauty of Kenna. Someone investing time, asking curious questions, and listening deeply was able to unearth the beauty beyond initial assumptions. May we have the courage to go and do likewise.