Interpreting Play...

 In selecting my word PLAY for 2012 I knew it would be open for lots of interpretations.  I really had no clear definition of what play would mean to me.  So in that vein, these are my tools that allowed me to play the last few days.  Yes,  the humble rake in both small metal and large plastic versions.  Mr. C and I live on 10 acres of mountainous terrain with tons of trees and all they drop. Fortunately we only landscaped and detail maintain 2 acres.  As we age this becomes a huge amount of work for us.  Therefore I decided to make a chore into play.  I tackle only one small area and see how long it takes me to complete.  Am I only fooling myself?

 Here is a pile of lovely Fall leaves.  These are mostly Oak, Maple, Redbuds and Crepe Myrtles.  No, I do not want to jump into this pile and play.  I am not much for getting dirty. 

Here are two of our large trash containers that I filled with raked debris.  I had to leave room for the compactor bags of real trash. 

This is down the side of our steep driveway...16% grade!  Mr. C raked 18 piles of pine needles and twigs and debris.  Somehow he doesn't think of this as play.

And here is a container of more leaves and rose clippings that I managed to accumulate.  You can see I have not done any of the detail pick up which requires me to crawl around on my hands and knees.  Our winter weather is very warm so far but the ground is wet and cold and I am still getting over my being sick so I do not want to risk getting damp.

The huge trees really make a mess when the wind blows.  There are cedar droppings and limbs everywhere and they really make it a challenge to rake.  Here is another pile I can't fit into my overly full wheelbarrow.  I also can't lift the wheelbarrow so Mr. C will be helping me.

After all my play I got to do, this is the reward...a clean lawn ready for winter snow.  It really does feel good to get this done.  Of course this is only a drop in the bucket for all the area we need to do. 
From reading your blogs it would seem that 2012 is off to a really creative start. 
I am so grateful for all of your comments and I really must admit that I look forward to them.  Do you enjoy comments left on your blogs?
Blissful and Creative 2012 to each of you...

Yes, we can do it...

Funny how a picture tells all. I just felt like this photo fits me right now. I am not the physically strongest nor do I like to get dirty. I am actually a very prissy girly girl and I always have been. Right now my arms feel like jelly and are all wobbly because I just spent several hours out in the yard cleaning and weeding and pruning. Any of you who live in the land of snow and rain know the ravages it can wreak on landscaping. Plants get smashed to the ground and stay wet and soggy and mold. The lawn gets snow fungus and matted down so badly it is next to impossible to rake it loose without pulling out what little lawn is left. The roses get broken and beat down...I should say the rose limbs since the deer eat all the rose blossoms before I get to enjoy them. The oak leaves are so stuck to the wet ground that they get moldy. They also get in the pond and make "black tea" which is very nasty indeed. The pine needles are a lot of fun to pick up if you remember back to being a kid and playing pick-up-sticks.

So I figure if I can spend just a few hours each week and especially when the weather is dry and sunny then I can get a huge amount done to spruce up the yard. We have slopes in the front and back and sides so it is a challenge to work on those as well. Each year the Soroptomist call and ask if we will be on the garden tour but both my husband and I have decided that is not something we need to do. I just cannot imagine how much more work and expense we would need to incur just to be up to par. When the weather gets better I will take photos and post the pond. Right now I have froggies serenading me with their lovely croaking lullabies. When it was raining they were swimming and sitting on the lily pads...just the way it should be.

Now I shall go and drink some iced tea and then I think a long soak in the tub with Epsom Salts is in order. Yes, we can do it Josephine!