Light At The End

With this spring being so rainy, it's put me behind in my work.  I'm usually done by this time of year and down to my one or two days a week grass cutting and maintenance.  My contract with the Marriott is front-loaded... with the winter clean-up of of 15 acres, pruning of 200 trees and double the amount of shrubs/hedges, 75 yards of mulching and planting of over 600 annuals, there's so much to do April and May, not to mention keeping up with the 8 hour grass cutting day at the same time.  It's a big property, and it takes time... I do 98% of it myself.

I love this property... flanked by a creek on one side and woods on the other, it's a very natural setting which works well with my style... 'walked upon in the woods'.  I don't do sculptured or placed... but rather a natural setting using crumbled rocks and open spaces and non-fussy plants, allowing for a look that you would find in nature.

Every day that I go into work with a certain plan, it usually is blocked by something... a wedding in the area I was going to work or some other contractor doing work... rain, heat or snow... a full parking lot keeping me from getting to an area, etc... so I need to be able to switch gears if need be.  And that's only the process of trying to get it completed.  Once I get it done, there are so many things that work against me... too much sun, too much shade, heat, rain, wind, flooding, bugs, deer, rabbits, moles, employees, dogs, customers, sprinkler system/lack of one, poor soil... to name a few.   I do what I can do to make it nice for 5 minutes... after that, it's a crap-shoot.

After lots of rain and then weeks of 95 degree, humid days, this past week or so has really cooperated.  With temperatures in the 60's, it's been great... I've gotten so much done this past week.  I'm really exhausted... between this and the bar.  Next week, I have the deck to build and a little more work at the hotel... then I'm on vacation for a week.  With much-needed rest, planning a trip that is so labor intensive in hot temperatures probably wasn't the best idea.  I should have planned a more relaxing time.  All hotels have pools, so I may fore go exertion for relaxation. I'm looking forward to getting away and coming back clear-headed.