I can barely move today

[pinktulip]

(I'm not sure if this is the right place for this post, but this is my attempt to overcome my introversion and post more)

Over the weekend, my boys and I pulled out all the shrubs in our front yard. They were overgrown and ugly, and created an unwanted barrier to our house. We yanked several with the chain and 4x4 method, but there was still a lot of digging and hard work. The pile on our driveway is probably 20'x10' and 6' high.

DH mostly supervised as he is dealing with a chronic illness that zaps his strength and energy, so weekends are his time to rest. I'm super proud of my boys for stepping up and working hard to get the job done. And now comes the fun part (for me): planting lots of beautiful perennials and flowers in place of overgrown ugliness.

[Deleted]

Congratulations to your entire family for the "got it done." It's such a good feeling to actually see the results by the end of the weekend. I limp back to work on Mondays!

[whisperwindkat]

Congrats for getting it done! I too find it hard to keep moving this time of year.

[Nette]

What did you do with all the pulled-up shrubs? Were you lucky enough to have someone drive by & WANT them???

[kathyinmd]

i feel your pain...it usually takes me 3 days to recup from 1 day working outside...what are you planning to do with the new open space around the house?

[Deleted]

Yard work surely makes one sore but the end results are worth it. Take a hot shower and try to relax today.

[susannah]

It seems like I'm constantly wondering when I got so old - because my muscles are sore so much lately! Ah, I remember the good old days of my youth, when I might...MIGHT...be sore one day, but then my muscles adapted and there was no soreness for the rest of the season. Still, I kind of like the muscle soreness (as long as it isn't too bad) because it makes me feel like I really did some physical work. If that makes sense.

Sounds like you got a lot of work done - that's great! I'm sure the flowers and perennials are going to look amazing!

[horseyrider]

May 5, 2015 12:49:49 GMT susannah said:

It seems like I'm constantly wondering when I got so old - because my muscles are sore so much lately! Ah, I remember the good old days of my youth, when I might...MIGHT...be sore one day, but then my muscles adapted and there was no soreness for the rest of the season. Still, I kind of like the muscle soreness (as long as it isn't too bad) because it makes me feel like I really did some physical work. If that makes sense.

Sounds like you got a lot of work done - that's great! I'm sure the flowers and perennials are going to look amazing!

Susannah, once again we are of like minds. I'm 60 now, and while work can make me tired and sore, it rarely lasts.   And when it does, it reminds me that I've done something really worthwhile.

Pinktulip, I bet you're feeling terrific in spite of the soreness.  Just think how fresh and beautiful your home will look!  You deserve to return home to a place that looks ready to embrace you, that reflects your loving touch.   You empowered both yourself and your sons with this work, and perhaps freed your DH from some of the worry that his illness might bring.

I'd love to hear your plans for your perennials!  Anything special in mind?

[amylou]

That's how I've been feeling too. My DH and I used to work from sun up to sundown all weekend and not feel a thing. Now we work slower and not as long at a time. At the end of the day I feel like a creaky old woman. It stinks.

[Ozarks Tom]

DW took a week off from work last week.  We built 600' of fence, planted the garden, planted/mulched 12 rose bushes, 4 berry bushes, and bunches of smaller projects.  She went back to work yesterday to relax.

[here to stay]

Hard work may be it's own reward (there is a saying like that, right?) but I like to sweeten the deal by rewarding myself (and others) with a goodie. So are you going to endulge yourself and your boys with something? Sounds like you all earned it.

[siletz]

What a great project! You should show us before and after pics when you get all done! Something to be proud of for sure.

[pinktulip]

It is a great feeling to work hard and accomplish a lot. The soreness is definitely there, but in a strange way, it feels good to know of your own strength and capability.

We had huge overgrown tams and fitzers lining the walkway to our house, which were creating a barrier visually. So on one side, we will just put sod up to the walkway, and the other side will be some evergreen euonymus next to the house and then lots of cottage-garden-ish perennials: Shasta daisies, delphinium, foxglove, iris, lupine, etc. My house looks pretty trashy right now with the huge pile and the bare ground, but when we're done, it's going to look amazing!

[barefootfarmer]

For the past couple of years I've been thinking how glad I am that I started my farm while I was still "youngish". It's like someone else said earlier, what we used to accomplish in a day or weekend is now spread out over several weekends.

And you can never have too many flowers!

[Callie]

I love group projects. I'm happiest when my entire family is working together. So glad you have those boys to help! We love pictures!

[motdaugrnds]

Good job! Oh yes the soreness seems to come on quicker as one ages and lasts longer; still, the pleasure of knowing you've actually accomplished what you wanted is great! Your place sounds like it is on its way to being lovely; so do share some pictures.

[Deleted]

Feel better! and enjoy your new space!

[patty]

I have helped pull out several old shrubs and it is hard work!!

[Awnry Abe]

The very best "I can barely move" moments are when you can look back and see a major accomplishment. Shrub removal certainly sounds like one! What you don't want are the "I can barely move" moments from something like a kick in the thigh by a 400/lb calf.

[Deleted]

Congratulations on your hard work!  It's a good feeling to accomplish a project. You have every right to be proud of your boys...and you, too.

[Homesteader]

Good job! I am so with you on the flowers! Don't forget hollyhocks!

[Rustaholic]

May 5, 2015 17:44:34 GMT barefootfarmer said:

For the past couple of years I've been thinking how glad I am that I started my farm while I was still "youngish". It's like someone else said earlier, what we used to accomplish in a day or weekend is now spread out over several weekends.

And you can never have too many flowers!

I disagree.
No front yard looks better than one full of good food to eat.  

[barefootfarmer]

Well, I think I meant, let flowers bloom where you have room. My space is chock full of food, too. Food is good for the belly and flowers are good for the soul.

[Rustaholic]

May 12, 2015 0:07:57 GMT barefootfarmer said:

Well, I think I meant, let flowers bloom where you have room. My space is chock full of food, too. Food is good for the belly and flowers are good for the soul.

There, I added a smile to my post. It was meant as a tease not a judgement.
Sometimes I need writing help.
I have a few flowers here too.

[Rustaholic]

As I look at it large shrubs all get removed with the 4WD and chain.
I have one old chain that has a loop on one end and that makes it easy to put the other end through the loop and have a chain around the shrub that will tighten as I pull.
Last year we were doing a Spring cleanup at our church and there was a row of shrubs that needed to go.
Two people headed out there with shovels and started digging and I backed my truck up to one on the other end of the row and yanked it out.   Yup I got to pull them all out.

[barefootfarmer]

May 12, 2015 0:23:36 GMT Rustaholic said:

May 12, 2015 0:07:57 GMT barefootfarmer said:

Well, I think I meant, let flowers bloom where you have room. My space is chock full of food, too. Food is good for the belly and flowers are good for the soul.

There, I added a smile to my post. It was meant as a tease not a judgement.
Sometimes I need writing help.
I have a few flowers here too.

We're good- I didn't take it the wrong way at all. And it helps that I have thick skin- especially on my feet. My kids call them troll feet.

Sadly I don't have much in the way of flowers. My free range chickens took most of them out the first year. But I'm working on getting them back, slowly. One thing I have found to be true for me is that the more I incorporate animals and veggies on my farm, the less time I've had for flowers.  I used to wonder why I always found farms to have either livestock or crops but not with a combination of flowers. Now I'm kind of figuring out why.

I guess my soul needs some work

[Rustaholic]

May 12, 2015 0:46:32 GMT barefootfarmer said:

May 12, 2015 0:23:36 GMT Rustaholic said:

There, I added a smile to my post. It was meant as a tease not a judgement.
Sometimes I need writing help.
I have a few flowers here too.

We're good- I didn't take it the wrong way at all. And it helps that I have thick skin- especially on my feet. My kids call them troll feet.

Sadly I don't have much in the way of flowers. My free range chickens took most of them out the first year. But I'm working on getting them back, slowly. One thing I have found to be true for me is that the more I incorporate animals and veggies on my farm, the less time I've had for flowers.  I used to wonder why I always found farms to have either livestock or crops but not with a combination of flowers. Now I'm kind of figuring out why.

I guess my soul needs some work

That is one of the reasons my hens will be tractored. Some of the flowers I have here are family related.
The Seven Sisters Roses have been handed down from my Great Grandmother.
Last Summer I took a nice one from Mom's rose fence down to a cousin in Missouri.
I showed her how to propagate them and I am sure they will do great there because that is where Mom brought them from.

This year the family reunion is here so I am starting new plants for cousins again.
These are a Coleus that my mother hasn't seen anywhere else and this one is also from my Great Grandmother.
I believe the red Poppies I have came from Grandma in Missouri but I do not believe they are still going down there.
They are really struggling here but two are holding up pretty good.
There are a lot of them at Mom's place yet and I have collected a lot of the seeds

[barefootfarmer]

I love the family history of your flowers, @rustaholic ! My sister brought me some of my grandma's Irises when came from Michigan for a visit. I remember those yellow and blue/purple irises from when I was so small. They lasted here for about 5 years before giving in to crown rot. No matter how I babied them, our climate was just too wet. Before I moved to this farm I used to be an avid cottage gardener. Most of the flowers I grew were ones that I remembered from child hood.

I would LOVE to get my hands on another Bristol Fairy Gypsum Paniculata (baby's breath). It is the best one for bouquets and my grandma grew them all along her fence line. I had some for many years but they were lost in the move. Now I can find lots of other baby's breath, but not that particular variety.

You should start a thread and post some flower pics. Especially those red poppies!

[whisperwindkat]

May 12, 2015 0:46:32 GMT barefootfarmer said:

May 12, 2015 0:23:36 GMT Rustaholic said:

There, I added a smile to my post. It was meant as a tease not a judgement.
Sometimes I need writing help.
I have a few flowers here too.

We're good- I didn't take it the wrong way at all. And it helps that I have thick skin- especially on my feet. My kids call them troll feet.

Sadly I don't have much in the way of flowers. My free range chickens took most of them out the first year. But I'm working on getting them back, slowly. One thing I have found to be true for me is that the more I incorporate animals and veggies on my farm, the less time I've had for flowers.  I used to wonder why I always found farms to have either livestock or crops but not with a combination of flowers. Now I'm kind of figuring out why.

I guess my soul needs some work

It doesn't have to be either or and kept separate. Mix them together in a potager garden. I used to miss my cottage garden when I got so involved in growing veggies so when I moved to biodynamics instead of row gardening, I started sticking in more flowers and herbs and creating nice pathways. Now I love being in my garden. It is definitely a more pleasant place to be. You can have both. Blessings, Kat

[Rustaholic]

May 12, 2015 16:36:08 GMT barefootfarmer said:

I love the family history of your flowers, @rustaholic ! My sister brought me some of my grandma's Irises when came from Michigan for a visit. I remember those yellow and blue/purple irises from when I was so small. They lasted here for about 5 years before giving in to crown rot. No matter how I babied them, our climate was just too wet. Before I moved to this farm I used to be an avid cottage gardener. Most of the flowers I grew were ones that I remembered from child hood.

I would LOVE to get my hands on another Bristol Fairy Gypsum Paniculata (baby's breath). It is the best one for bouquets and my grandma grew them all along her fence line. I had some for many years but they were lost in the move. Now I can find lots of other baby's breath, but not that particular variety.

You should start a thread and post some flower pics. Especially those red poppies!

It isn't the season for those flowers yet but I will have to search out where I do have pictures of them.
When I was a kid I asked Mom if the red poppies could be mine along with all of the seeds.
So from then on every other plant started by humans, birds or wind they are all mine.
An aunt down in Missouri got some from Mom and every time I was down there I made sure she knew I owned them.
Then that huge 100 year flood in 1990 or 91 took out the flowers she had and that was the end of all the red poppies and Seven Sister Roses in Missouri that were family related. That is until I took that rose bush back to her daughter's place in Missouri.