Tidying the Property

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From every window I saw ragged bushes, and I knew the job was beyond me. Two and three years ago, I began trimming shrubs in February. It was too cold for that this year. I put off contacting the tree man, even though he is a most pleasant young fellow. After coming home from the dermatologist’s appointment, I texted Jeremy. I was shocked when he replied within a minute or so. Yes, he could have his men working the very next day. He lives only a mile or so from me and stopped by that very afternoon to give me a quote.

As neighbor Joyce and I were walking the next morning, I saw the truck heading to my house. Jeremy showed the two fellows what to do, then he stopped in his unmarked truck to speak to me. He came at least three times that day, checking on the work. It was amazing how much they did.

Two days later I realized the lawn people would be showing up soon. All the neighbors have mowed their lawns, and mine looked as ragged as could be. I knew the lawn people would pick up the limbs under the old oak tree and throw them all on the now defunct burn pile. I skipped the morning walk, picking up limbs instead. Swapping walking for limbing was hard. I was being careful, though. Knowing how uneven the ground is, I had my cane in one hand while pulling the garden cart and picking up limbs. Being tired, I was extra careful putting the cart away and going in the house. I had worked 3 ¾ hours. It occurred to me that if I died because of my exertions, it wouldn’t be suicide. It would be garden-cide.

This is the area where I removed fallen tree limbs.

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Published by Anne Mehrling

I'm a retiree who loves to write about life in the mountains of North Carolina.

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38 thoughts on “Tidying the Property”

  1. You have a beautiful lawn. Take care and don’t over do it. I sometimes feel I should take my cane out there with me too. Especially in the hilly areas. Hubby bought me a really nice one a couple of years ago.

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      1. Do your new knees give you any trouble? That sounds so serious. I still have all my original parts and have often wondered what it would be like to have something replaced. So far, everything still works good. I have to work a little slower and take care not to make sudden moves or stoops.

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          1. Yes, sadly they are inevitable. I got some Spruce weed killer last year because I have a patch at the side of the house – no one sees it behind the Pyracantha. It has no harmful ingredients, kills weeds in 24 hours, but it can’t be too hot, nor too humid to apply it. I spent all Summer waiting for the perfect application time and then it was Fall, so I just kept it to use this year. Hopefully it has not lost any of its strength.

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              1. I think so too – I hate to waste it as it about $20.00, but that mostly as it was the starter kit – next time I just buy the liquid since I have the pump. It is supposed to be safe for pets and kids to play, so it won’t harm birds, butterflies.

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  3. What a wonderful testament to your dedication, Anne! It’s clear how much care and thought you put into your home and garden. I love how you handled everything step by step—from reaching out to Jeremy (what a blessing to have such a responsive and thoughtful tree service!) to your careful work picking up limbs. And “garden-cide” made me smile—what a perfect way to put it. Your humor and perseverance shine through. I hope you’re giving yourself a well-deserved rest now—you’ve earned it!🤝

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  5. That’s my job today, cleaning up. The construction crew was here this week repairing the wind damage. They had to to do one side of the house with new soffits and fascia, so we had the entire house done. The logs from the downed tree were claimed after I put an ad up, so now it it time to finish the clean up.

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        1. The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians,[b] are a mountain range in eastern to northeastern North America. The term “Appalachian” refers to several different regions and mountain systems associated with the mountain range, and its surrounding terrain.

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          2. Thank you for responding! I had a feeling it might be your answer. I am familiar with the Appalachian Mountains. They are beautiful. My husband and I also visited them in Georgia and Pennsylvania.

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            1. I am surrounded by mountains in Waynesville NC. It was lovely living near the Long Island Sound, and I grew up 10 miles from the Mississippi River in Tennessee. We have such a beautiful country!

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    1. Pulling a weed killed my grandmother. She leaned over, fell, and couldn’t move well afterwards. She was older than I am now — 88. They took her to the hospital where she lay until she died. I think she would have had better care today, but I still don’t want gardening to kill me.

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