What's your home and garden like?

Open a magazine, almost any magazine, and there they are - architecturally unique homes, lush lawns, and gardens awash with colors, shapes and sizes to die for. Not a blade of grass or a leaf is out of place, the back yard patio is entertainment ready at all times and the home, monogrammed hand towels and all, is inviting guests to drop in anytime.

Who lives like that?

I don't. In one breath, I like the idea of having a home like that and in the next, I think about the work to keep it all up. Our house is not big and our property more natural than manicured and I can't keep up with what we have.

I know, I get to choose how I spend my time but when it comes to swim meets, family outings, writing or a trip to Grand Avenue and Golden Fig fine foods my choice is clear. The weeds can wait. And wait they did. In fact, they are still waiting. I have one weed along the front step (welcome!) that is almost as tall as the kid. When it hits eye level I will weed.

I love the idea, the look, the feel and the smell of a mantained property but I don't love the work. Here's a glimpse at a snippet of our outdoor to-do list:

Wash windows and power wash deck
Weed flower beds and split perennials
Remove the overgrown madness around the big garage
Landscaping on front and side of house
Trim the trees and remove a ton of strangling grapevines

See why I prefer to head to St. Paul?! I can rationalize this all away - it's unsafe to weed in 102 degree weather, once I am in the house I don't see the overgrowth and weeds, no one ever visits us anyway and, here's the best one - in a few months, it'll all be under a few feet of snow.

Too bad rationalization doesn't kill weeds. I am off to Home Depot for a powerwash-like sprayer and some Roundup to tackle the beasts.

Better Homes and Gardens I am not.

Photo credit iStockphoto