Happy 1rst Micah

My niece Micah had her first birthday yesterday.  We had a chance to celebrate last Tuesday and to have a barbecue at my parents.  I am so happy to have her in our lives.  She has grown so much over the last year and seems to be getting closer to her first steps.  Her smile is infectious and I always embrace having a chance to spend time with her.

Tuesday was Canada Day.  I love this country and Canada Day is probably my favorite holiday.  We had Micah's party and then Jodi and I went home to relax for a while.  At night, we started our yearly tradition of walking up to the fireworks.  My dad came with us and we managed to get our usual spot to get a prime vantage point for the show.  They were a little shorter this year but, were probably the best ones I have seen here.  Ollie does not do so well with loud noises so we had to leave him at home.

It was a little odd having a holiday on a Tuesday.  Just messes up your routine a little bit.  My head was thrown off for a while on Wednesday morning but, was able to get back in rhythm later in the day.

Work has been crazy busy the last while.  Looks like we have finally caught up to things a little bit and we may not have to work Saturdays for a while.  I have not minded working most Saturdays this year but, I will definitely enjoy a little slower pace.  Pruning season is here so time will fly by the next month or so.  Once I get through August,  I find the last three months easier to manage as I have some down time to look forward to.

My letter to the editor is getting published in this months Landscape Ontario magazine.  I cannot wait to see it in print.  I wrote about mental health and the positive influence the landscaping industry has had on me.  Hopefully people will like it and any chance I have to spread even a little awareness around mental health is a positive thing.

I often wondered if I had any real purpose in life.  I realize now that maybe I am meant to share some of my story in order to help others.  There would be no point in going through what I have and impacting others in a negative way at times, if there was no lessons to be learned.  I feel I have a lot to share and am now in a good place to be able to do that effectively.

Stress Tip of the Day
Stress is not good for anyone.  I have always struggled immensely with managing stress but, have become better suited to deal with it.  I try to avoid stressful situations and focus on little things in order to make that happen.  One thing I find helps me pertains to shopping.  I do not like shopping.  I do not like parking lots.  This tip drives Jodi nuts but,  it helps me out a lot.  When most people park to shop,  they look for the closest parking spot to the mall/store.  I do the complete opposite.  I look for the furthest possible spot.  The spot with virtually no one around.  Sure it means walking a little bit but,  it makes for a nice exit and I do not have to worry about people or other cars close by.  

Landscaping Tip of the Day
I love grass cutting and have become quite proficient at it.  This tip relates to grass trimming.  A common mistake I see made with trimming is the length at which people trim the grass along their edges.  Scalping the grass is a common occurrence and is something that should be avoided if possible.  Remember that the grass that is being trimmed should be the same length of the mower and not lower.  The trimmer head should not be directly on the grass but, hovering just above instead.  Different makes and models of trimmers require different techniques but, just remember that trimming too low, does not make for good show.  Happy Trimming.

Hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend.  Good mental health.  Take care,  Shawn.

“I know it seems hard sometimes but remember one thing. Through every dark night, there's a bright day after that. So no matter how hard it get, stick your chest out, keep ya head up.... and handle it.”
― Tupac Shakur