This week was a positive experience and we got a lot accomplished at work. I had a mild bout of depression on Monday morning and thankfully had the day off to clear my mind. It may have been the inclement weather on Monday but, I was definitely struggling. The difference between now and years gone by, is that I am able to fight my way out of depressive episodes. What I was experiencing on Monday would have thrown me off for the whole week in the past but, I was able to focus on the remainder of the week without being affected too much by Monday.
We only have three more weeks left of grass cutting which I am thankful for. I love to cut grass but, I am anxious to start fall clean ups. We also started two fairly big jobs this week, which should keep us busy for the next few weeks. It will be interesting to see how fall clean ups go this year. We will be one man down this year for the clean ups, so it may take us a little longer than usual. I am confident we will be able to push ourselves to get them finished in a reasonable time frame. The key with clean ups is not being overwhelmed with the scope of work at properties. When I did my first one a few years a go, we started at a massive property and I was not sure how we would finish such a job. You have to break properties in to sections and focus on individual tasks before moving on to the next section. It makes it much easier not to get frustrated with the amount of work there is before you.
I get a chance to visit with Elias and Micah today. The Chapman's are up for a thanksgiving visit and am looking forward to some quality time with them. We are also closing my parents pool today which does not take too long. I borrowed a chain saw from my boss this weekend just in case my mom would like some branches cut out of her trees. I know what I would take out but, they like a lot of privacy so I may have to hold myself back. I also bought the old Echo trimmer from my boss and I am really looking forward to making some vertical edges.
Bernie and Karen are coming to visit in two weeks and I am really looking forward to seeing them. We do not get a chance to visit with Jodi's parents too often so it will be great to catch up with them. We are also fortunate enough to visit them in Florida over the Christmas holidays which should be a lot of fun.
I was up early today and already had a chance to take Ollie for a play at the arena. If it was up to me, I would have already cut the grass but, I am sure my neighbour's would not have appreciated being woken up at 6 am on a Saturday morning.
Landscaping tip of the Day: Spacing
When designing beds and deciding what to plant at your home, always remember spacing. A common occurrence I see at some properties is lack of spacing. Plants, shrubs and flowers growing in to each others space. You have to take in to account the natural maturity of plants and shrubs when deciding what to plant. If you plant a row of yews that are in their first year of growing right beside each other, then there will be no separation once they reach their full growth. Plants need a certain amount of sun and moisture to remain healthy. I have seen situations where a more aggressive plant will take sun and moisture from others and those plants will struggle. If you have existing beds that have some spacing issues, do not be afraid to cut a way some things to create a little more space.
That is all from me today. Happy Thanksgiving! Have a great weekend. Take care, Shawn.
Although life may be a struggle at times, when we truly take a look around, there is always something to be thankful for.
Saturday, 12 October 2013
Sunday, 6 October 2013
Positivity
Well, Sunday is here again and I am determined not to follow the trend from the last few weeks. I want to enjoy today and not fret about what tomorrow may bring. I want to maintain a positive mind frame and be present for Jodi and Ollie, instead of being encompassed by anxiety.
I am really looking forward to the NFL games today. There are a lot of interesting match ups and I am sure there will be a few surprises along the way. I went out on a limb and picked the Browns on Thursday night for my survival pool which worked out well. Will be nice to see what games others picked and hope for some upsets.
It is a dreary day outside. Rain is in the forecast for the next few days. Great day to relax inside and catch up on some phone calls to family and friends.
Only four more weeks left of cutting grass and then fall clean ups will begin. I have made it six months and want to push myself through the last 7 to 8 weeks. I know how rewarding it will be when I make it to my last day. I will have so much to be proud of and just have to take it one day at time for the remainder of the season.
I am going to post some landscaping tips once in a while. I can pass on some of the many things I have learned over the last three years. Hope you may find them useful.
Landscaping tip of the Day: Mulching
Mulching is an effective way to limit weeds and create and aesthetically pleasing look for beds and tree pits. There are a few things to keep in mind when mulching.
1) Weeding- It is important to makes some effort to weed beds before laying mulch. If you simply lay mulch on a weed infested area, the mulch will not be able to do its job. Make sure beds are clean before application of mulch. Small weeds should not pose a problem but, bigger weeds should definitely be take out. A garden hoe can be a great tool to make weeding much less tedious.
2) Thickness- Mulch should be at least two inches deep in order to be effective. Putting too much on is much better than laying a thin layer.
3) Quality- The quality of mulch you purchase will make a big difference in the success both in appearance and with weed control.
4) Application- depending on how many yards or bags you are using, a wheelbarrow and a pitchfork are great for applying mulch. If you have for example, two or three yards delivered, you can load wheelbarrows and dump the mulch in strategic places in the bed. Use a a pitch fork to spread the mulch. There will be a need to spread by hand in areas with plants, shrubs and flowers in close proximity. When spreading mulch around trees, be sure not to load the mulch right up to the tree base. This is not healthy for the tree. You should mound the mulch at least a foot a way from the trunk in order to trap water for the tree depending on the size of it.
5) How often?- A good application of mulch should last for two years. You can add a thin layer of mulch the following year to freshen things up.
6) When to mulch?- The best time to mulch is early in the season. This ensures you get the best bang for your buck. You can really mulch at any point of the season but, you may as well do it earlier to make maintaining your beds simpler. You should wait until later in the spring to make sure the ground is not frozen. Once the ground is fully thawed out, mulch on my friend.
Happy Mulching!
Have a great week. Take care, Shawn.
“Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.”
― Søren Kierkegaard
I am really looking forward to the NFL games today. There are a lot of interesting match ups and I am sure there will be a few surprises along the way. I went out on a limb and picked the Browns on Thursday night for my survival pool which worked out well. Will be nice to see what games others picked and hope for some upsets.
It is a dreary day outside. Rain is in the forecast for the next few days. Great day to relax inside and catch up on some phone calls to family and friends.
Only four more weeks left of cutting grass and then fall clean ups will begin. I have made it six months and want to push myself through the last 7 to 8 weeks. I know how rewarding it will be when I make it to my last day. I will have so much to be proud of and just have to take it one day at time for the remainder of the season.
I am going to post some landscaping tips once in a while. I can pass on some of the many things I have learned over the last three years. Hope you may find them useful.
Landscaping tip of the Day: Mulching
Mulching is an effective way to limit weeds and create and aesthetically pleasing look for beds and tree pits. There are a few things to keep in mind when mulching.
1) Weeding- It is important to makes some effort to weed beds before laying mulch. If you simply lay mulch on a weed infested area, the mulch will not be able to do its job. Make sure beds are clean before application of mulch. Small weeds should not pose a problem but, bigger weeds should definitely be take out. A garden hoe can be a great tool to make weeding much less tedious.
2) Thickness- Mulch should be at least two inches deep in order to be effective. Putting too much on is much better than laying a thin layer.
3) Quality- The quality of mulch you purchase will make a big difference in the success both in appearance and with weed control.
4) Application- depending on how many yards or bags you are using, a wheelbarrow and a pitchfork are great for applying mulch. If you have for example, two or three yards delivered, you can load wheelbarrows and dump the mulch in strategic places in the bed. Use a a pitch fork to spread the mulch. There will be a need to spread by hand in areas with plants, shrubs and flowers in close proximity. When spreading mulch around trees, be sure not to load the mulch right up to the tree base. This is not healthy for the tree. You should mound the mulch at least a foot a way from the trunk in order to trap water for the tree depending on the size of it.
5) How often?- A good application of mulch should last for two years. You can add a thin layer of mulch the following year to freshen things up.
6) When to mulch?- The best time to mulch is early in the season. This ensures you get the best bang for your buck. You can really mulch at any point of the season but, you may as well do it earlier to make maintaining your beds simpler. You should wait until later in the spring to make sure the ground is not frozen. Once the ground is fully thawed out, mulch on my friend.
Happy Mulching!
Have a great week. Take care, Shawn.
“Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.”
― Søren Kierkegaard
Friday, 4 October 2013
Good Week
Instead of writing on Sunday about any stress or worry I may be experiencing, I thought it would be best to start the weekend off with a positive post.
I had a great week this week. I was back in a zone again. I also had an opportunity to work quite a bit with Heather. When I work with her, their is no stress which makes it easier to deal with whatever the day may bring. I was happy I had a chance to catch up with Dave this week and hear about all the great things going on in his life. I had a really good time with my boss at the landscape meeting and quite enjoyed checking out some Deere equipment. I also liked listening to the guest speaker who was articulate and got through a lot of information in a short amount of time.
Today was a good example of how far I have come. We had a late start due to weather so I did not get to work until 9:30. We got to our first property and Jessie realized the hydraulic fluid in the Ferris was out. We have been having some issues with this a few times this year. We had a bottle of what we were pretty sure was hydraulic fluid but, were not sure. I called my boss to ask and decided to blow some leaves off the lawn as it was covered in order to make it easier cut. I decided that if I had not heard back from my boss about the fluid, we would just use the Deere to cut the lawn. Now in the past, a hiccup like this would have really thrown me. I would have been completely stressed out and would not have been able to make a decision without worrying. Instead, I made a call quickly and did not concern myself too much about the Ferris. We did not do anything to cause the problem so there was no point in worrying about it. Just moved on and finished what we were there for.
Now the last few weekends have been a struggle for me as you may have read. I am going to make a conscience effort to enjoy the entire weekend and not think about what Monday has in store. As the past has taught me, spending my time filled with self induced anxiety serves no purpose. I cannot control anything other than the rest of my night tonight. Living my time in the past or future is only going to stall my growth mentally. I have come so far and want to continue to learn how to better cope with my thoughts.
I am feeling content at this moment. Sitting on the couch with Ollie watching a movie with Jodi. Life is good.
Have an amazing weekend. Take care, Shawn.
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection”
― Gautama Buddha
I had a great week this week. I was back in a zone again. I also had an opportunity to work quite a bit with Heather. When I work with her, their is no stress which makes it easier to deal with whatever the day may bring. I was happy I had a chance to catch up with Dave this week and hear about all the great things going on in his life. I had a really good time with my boss at the landscape meeting and quite enjoyed checking out some Deere equipment. I also liked listening to the guest speaker who was articulate and got through a lot of information in a short amount of time.
Today was a good example of how far I have come. We had a late start due to weather so I did not get to work until 9:30. We got to our first property and Jessie realized the hydraulic fluid in the Ferris was out. We have been having some issues with this a few times this year. We had a bottle of what we were pretty sure was hydraulic fluid but, were not sure. I called my boss to ask and decided to blow some leaves off the lawn as it was covered in order to make it easier cut. I decided that if I had not heard back from my boss about the fluid, we would just use the Deere to cut the lawn. Now in the past, a hiccup like this would have really thrown me. I would have been completely stressed out and would not have been able to make a decision without worrying. Instead, I made a call quickly and did not concern myself too much about the Ferris. We did not do anything to cause the problem so there was no point in worrying about it. Just moved on and finished what we were there for.
Now the last few weekends have been a struggle for me as you may have read. I am going to make a conscience effort to enjoy the entire weekend and not think about what Monday has in store. As the past has taught me, spending my time filled with self induced anxiety serves no purpose. I cannot control anything other than the rest of my night tonight. Living my time in the past or future is only going to stall my growth mentally. I have come so far and want to continue to learn how to better cope with my thoughts.
I am feeling content at this moment. Sitting on the couch with Ollie watching a movie with Jodi. Life is good.
Have an amazing weekend. Take care, Shawn.
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection”
― Gautama Buddha
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