Lessons from a Winter-Time Yard

It’s winter in Georgia.

Now, granted, that’s not such a bad thing, even considering the snowpocalypse (Two inches in Atlanta! A dusting in Fitzgerald!) of recent days. After all, the temperature is predicted to hit 62 today and 75 tomorrow.

(On a side note, the temperature tomorrow will be in a range that makes it impossible to know how to set the environmental control systems in our sanctuary. We’ll probably have the heat on even though it will be marginally “cool” outside and that means that it’ll be 10 degrees warmer in the balcony than downstairs. Some upstairs will be fanning while some downstairs will be wearing coats; those hovering in mid-air will be comfortable.)

This morning while my Good Wife and I were sitting around sipping coffee (ah, blessed Saturdays!) and discussing the major issues of the day (a discussion which these days usually begins and ends with our daughter’s upcoming wedding) the conversation took an unexpected turn toward needed yard work.

Pine cones need to be picked up. Bushes need to be pruned. Limbs need to be gathered. And so on.

I don’t want to do any of it. I’m looking for excuses not to do any of it. I’m even writing about it to keep from doing any of it.

My Good Wife said, “It’s too bad it’s drizzling today. The temperature would have been just right to do some yard work.”

I said, “You know what’s strange? I’ll spend an entire Saturday in July when it’s 3000 degrees outside working in the yard; I’ll even want to do it. But in the winter I just can’t get motivated.”

In response to which my Good (and Wise) Wife observed, “That’s because in the summer you know that when you finish working the yard will look good while in the winter you know that no matter how hard you work, it’s not going to look good.”

And all the people said, “Boom!”

We don’t mind working when the results are going to be obvious but we do mind working when the results are not going to be obvious.

We don’t mind working when our work is going to make things (and us) look good but we do mind working when our work is not going to make things (and us) look good.

Meanwhile, the pine cones await.

So let’s see—what else can I write about?