DON"T put your beak in there!

So I hung a hummingbird feeder out in the spring and never saw a one of the little buggers. Defeated, I never bothered to bring it in to change the sweet water inside and all summer long I kept looking at the damn thing as it gradually filled up with insects and the water turned rancid and still I did nothing. I felt a little guilty (not overly so) and worried it would be quite an unsavoury snack for any creature that did manage to stick a beak or other appendage small enough to insert in the feeding holes. So this morning as I trekked out to the shed fridge to grab a carton of orange juice around 6:45, I spotted him. There he was, hovering over the feeder. Damn, I thought, don't stick your beak in there - you won't like it one bit. In a flash he was gone, hopefully as a result of my presence and not because he got a taste of the fermented month's old goo. Now I fear I have blown my chance to attract hummingbirds. What bird in their right mind would ever come back for a drink in my backyard after getting a whiff of that feeder? The hummingbirds are on their way south now, so there is a window of opportunity to attract them before they are gone for the winter. It is now soaking in hot soapy water in my kitchen sink and I will attempt to make up for my lazy feeder habits by putting out a fresh batch of sugar water for them tonight. I start out every spring with such noble intentions, but as the summer wears on, I wear out. I get tired of weeding, replacing the water in the bird bath, deadheading the flowers, in fact just about any chore related to the garden at this point has inched it's way down to the bottom of my priority list. I am defeated by the weeds, the grime build-up on the patio furniture, the overgrown shrubs, the broken walnut shells all over the yard courtesy of the constantly munching squirrels and cleaning the pool and that is when I know, fall is almost here. I couldn't handle summer all year long - too much work. The outside requires so much maintenance all summer, nothing gets done inside, so the interior of the house is crying out for some attention now too. Sounds like I'm complaining - I guess I am, but I'm only human and sometimes the chores just seem overwhelming. The truth is, my priorities have changed and writing and golf seem more important to me these days. So I say to the hummingbirds - better come soon because I won't likely be changing that feeder again before winter and to the weeds, I say go crazy, and to the rest of the garden, I say - die already! I'm about ready to hang up my trowel and clippers for the season and as the days grow shorter I will be heading inside earlier, I'll start to have to close the windows at night and my enthusiasm for gardening will go into hibernation until next spring. And please - for just one year could we skip Halloween? I am so sick of that holiday. Ever since Emma outgrew it a couple of years ago, I dread that night. I don't give a crap about the costumes, the mounds of junkie candy, the carving of the pumpkins and consequent smashing of them by angry kids with nothing better to do or no where better to go. Hmmmm, I didn't start off this blog with a rant in mind, but now it looks like that is where it is headed. Shall I continue or stop now? OK, I'll back off, chill out, quit my whining. I do feel a little better though, so maybe it wasn't a bad idea. Welcome September - sounds like I need a change of scenery.