GARDEN CLEAN UP AND AGING - gardening

8/9/17

Every year when August rolls around I know that my garden is going to need a major clean up.  I had every intention of getting my entire backyard perennial bed trimmed and weeded last weekend but was clearly (and not so subtlety) reminded that I am not as young as I used to be.  Most of the time I'm not a big age kind of person.  Don't get me wrong I am not at all thrilled when I look in the mirror or in the replay of a video and see the tell tale signs of my mid century modern self but I'm not that thrown off by it.

What does drive me crazy is how long it takes me to do what I used to in no time at all.

cleaning out the garden

It seems like just yesterday when I was able to work a full time job away from home, clean the entire
house in a couple of hours, make decent dinners and take care of my family in the normal 24 hours we are allotted each day.

That is definitely not true anymore.


Cleaning the house takes the entire week, instead of two hours on Saturday.  The garden, while it is a labor of love, takes me twice the time and leaves me three times as sore.

Is it just me?

Please tell me I am not alone in this?


Now it's your turn.  What is it about day to day life that reminds you that you might not be the spring chicken you once were?

cottage garden flowers

Thankfully, no one seems to notice or care what does or doesn't get done quickly as much as I thought they did.  Could it be those unrealistic and exhausting expectations I put on myself for all those years were for nothing?  That's one of the good things about getting older, you realize what just doesn't matter as much as you thought it did and you learn to savor what is really important...living fully, loving completely and oh yeah, BREATHING!

Happy hump day!

xo, Patty

If you'd like to see what was blooming in the garden in July, here's the post.

Here's my latest video log including a few garden clean up tips and a before and after tour of the garden.  I'd love for you to subscribe and join in on the conversation because life isn't about perfection, it's about connection.

3 comments

  1. NanaDianaAugust 9, 2017 at 10:45 AM

    Patty- Such truth here. I put so many expectations on myself to do all/be all for so many, many years. I expected SO much of myself---more than I would EVER expect of anyone else. It really is funny that, as the years go by, you realize that everything doesn't HAVE to be perfect, everything doesn't HAVE to be done at once and, more importantly, it really doesn't matter to anyone else. Great post. Hope you have a wonderful Wednesday. xo Diana

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  2. SusieAugust 9, 2017 at 4:07 PM

    Patty, Keeping a property nice is a job every week. It's the heat that zaps my energy. Ted and I scrubbed the outside of our house this week...with a long handled scrub brush and some bleachy soapy water...then hosed it off so the soap would not harm anything planted near the house. It was a job, but with both of us taking turns scrubbing and rinsing...it went quickly and looks so fresh. I think your ornamental will do better now that sun can get to it. Blessings, xoxo, Susie

    ReplyDelete
  3. UnknownAugust 11, 2017 at 6:02 PM

    You are not alone! With this new health condition I now have, I move even slower, but as you said, I'm happy to be breathing! Luckily my husband loves outdoor work, and I have a housekeeper twice a month to do the heavy work. So blessed!

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