Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Why manicures are a waste of my money . . .
















I once worked with a gardener at the New York Botanical Garden.  She rocks (you know who you are, Mobee).  The woman is the best example of contradiction that I know of.  Mobee is one of the most hardworking gardeners I have met, and she has the BEST kept nails I have ever seen a professional gardener have.  She is in the dirt, 5 days a week, and makes a serious point to maintain a perfect French manicure.

As you can see from my hands, I am a disgrace to well-groomed woman-kind everywhere. Really, ask me if I care.  Now while I am perpetually impressed by Mobee's refusal to succumb to dried-out hands, blunt-tipped nails, and dirt-embedded cuticles, I just cannot bring myself to don at least a pair of gloves. So, forget weekly manicures.

Uuugh.  It's just too much eeeeeefffort!  Don't get me wrong, I will spend unknown, anal minutes plucking yellow leaves off of my large Brassica crop. Well-groomed plants is another topic entirely.  Mealy bugs inside the greenhouse? Believe me, every last petiole is flexed with examination, then promptly sprayed with a 1:1 solution alcohol and H2O.

A manicure lasts me hours, not days.  I have to really plan it out if I want it. Friday afternoon appointment. Inevitable DISappointment by Monday mid-morning.  Now you know just one, one of many, reasons why I am the DIRTY HORTICULTURIST.


5 comments:

  1. What type of alcohol do you use- Vodka, scotch or wine- I like your blog

    ReplyDelete
  2. That WOULD be your first and only question! hahaha

    ReplyDelete
  3. Dear Ms. Hanson,

    As I happen to know you personally, I would like to share this with your viewers. There is absolutely nothing about you that isn't "well-groomed", including your dirty fingernails. You are not only an exceptional horticulturist but you are also 'hot stuff'.

    Cheers-

    ReplyDelete
  4. Aren't we all! Love you babe. Great blog.

    ReplyDelete
  5. nice work erika! love hearing your voice in your writing. miss you! I'll be seeing you at Dixter part 2 for sure. xo

    ReplyDelete