I have been a yard work machine these last few days, and I have the sore muscles to prove it.
Old piles of oak leaves have been banished from the side of the house and dead tree branches trimmed. I'm learning a new way to work in my golden years. The multi-level approach. The first day I worked on the north side of the house I did the big stuff, the obvious, the sort of drudgery part. The next day, I got to do the detail work. The work I really like. I fussed with branches, raked all the little bits up, shoved the leaves farther down the bank so I can't see them at all, and picked up golf ball sized rocks from the whole area so from now on I can use my lawn mower to deal with the leaves in the future without fear of whacking a chunk out of my blade.
This two tier approach is not as satisfying as my old way, which is to do it all at once and then sit back in exhausted but exultant admiration of my amazing work. But I'm telling you, I just don't have that level of energy anymore. I like to think I'm working smarter, not harder. It soothes my gardener's ego. And in my defense, things DO get done. It just takes longer.
My sister in law gave me a pile of greeting cards the other day and among them was one with big while dots and made out of watercolor paper. I knew exactly what I was going to do it it when I saw it….
And I did.
And I did.