Tag Archives: Lawn work

A Bit of Work, A Bit of Cheer

Posted on July 6, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I usually do not get anything done on a Sunday.  It is kind of a thing with me.  However, this morning I managed to get myself out of the house before the heat of the day and did a half hour’s work on my back yard.  The place is being taken over by wild grapevines, and I fear I am losing the battle.  However, I intend to go down fighting.  I chopped with the clippers, I pulled, I yanked, I cussed.  I filled three barrels for the waste carrier to pick up tomorrow morning.  They will only pick up three barrels per week, so I had my excuse to stop then.

The fruits of my labor. So to speak.

Full disclosure:  I did not chop and pull the entire contents of the barrels.  My across the back neighbor had done some chopping of the vines covering the back fence, so I only had to gather those and put them in the tub.  That was effort enough for an old broad like me.

They don’t stand out very well, do they?

I wanted to do a bit more to brighten my surroundings, so I put out two frogs I bought last year or the year before at a dollar store.  I may move them to a more visible location.

Aren’t they cute?

I had chopped down the wild daisies that were taking over the front lawn, after it seemed they were done blooming, but I noticed a few little ones popped back up, adding another cheery note.  I need all the cheer I can get.

I don’t know what these are called.

I have not completely cleared the front, because I was waiting for these purple things to bloom.  I almost gave up waiting and cut away, but they jumped into bloom before I got to it, so I have a bit more color to enjoy.

I haven’t done as well in my lawn this year as I had hoped, but one does what one can.  At least I showed a bit of ambition on a Sunday, and had a bit of cheer for my reward.

 

4 Comments

Posted in humor, personal and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Not a Powerful Blog Post

Posted on June 23, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

Yesterday I was disappointed to lose power about 9:30 in the morning.  I can’t put it stronger than that, because I had already had coffee and breakfast.  An inconvenience, merely, I told myself, and hoped it would not last long.  I wished, of course, that it was not such a gloomy day, because I could have happily sat doing crossword puzzles or reading.  I also wished I had completely charged my phone, but one can’t have everything.

Since I hadn’t gone running, I went for a walk, looking to see if any trees were down.  There were not, but I did not take that long of a walk, because my stomach started to feel upset.  When it settled down, I went outside and worked in the lawn, cutting down my daisies and peonies that were definitely over.

My flowers in better days.

That did not last long, either, because the humidity made it difficult to breathe while exerting myself.  Lots of bending and straightening, which is not easy with the pot belly I am having difficulty losing (kindly do NOT say TMI!).  Eventually I found sitting on my front porch working on a letter to a friend to be an eligible activity.  The light was better than inside the house, and there was an occasional breeze to assist my comfort.

Eventually it was lunch time and I took the lack of power as an excuse to go out to lunch.  Yetty’s had power but no internet, so the television wasn’t on and I had to pay with cash.  I prefer to do that anyways.

The Special board at Yetty’s, taken during a previous visit.

My power was restored by late afternoon.  Once again, I cannot complain. I hear other areas may not be restored till Tuesday at 11:30 p.m. (I’d thinking National Grid said that because it sounded better than just saying Wednesday).  Also Saturday’s storm caused great damage in surrounding areas, including three fatalities.  I personally feel blessed.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, personal and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

I Make it Through Monday

Posted on June 17, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

It is late in the day on Monday (for me), and I think all I can manage is a Monstrous Monday post.  Has it been a Monstrous Monday?  In some senses, yes.  I had great ambitions for cleaning my house which did not come to fruition.  I mowed the lawn, actually starting the power mower myself, which regular readers may recall is not easy for me.  I did a little more yard work late in the day, but SO MUCH is still to be done!  I hang my head in shame.

This is a good boy!

If only I had Gene Wilder to comfort me thus!  This, of course, is a shot from Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, one of a very few perfect movies, in my not so humble opinion.

Maybe it’s Maybelline.

Why is my computer underlining “Maybelline”?  I looked it up!  Anyways, this is a shot from a less than perfect movie, but a perfectly cheesy movie which I love to watch, The Brain That Wouldn’t Die.

In fact I did.

OK, this is not a monster but some find it good advice for a Monday.  I am not advocating alcoholism.  To me, the sitting down, pouring yourself a beverage, and relaxing is the point. Sometimes my beverage is seltzer and lemon.  Sometimes it is coffee or tea.  Full disclosure:  right now it is Chardonnay.  Happy Monday, everyone.

 

2 Comments

Posted in humor, Monstrous Monday, personal and tagged , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

But Not Tired of Blogging

Posted on September 23, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I am tired.  Alas, Tired Sunday is not alliterative like Tired Tuesday, nor does it have a nice ring to it like Wrist to Forehead Sunday (or am I kidding myself about Wrist to Forehead Sunday?).  One might argue that feeling tired may be a reason to swoon, posed dramatically with the back of one wrist to my forehead, but quite frankly, that seems to be too much trouble right now (either swooning or arguing about it).

Random picture to distract from the fact that I am whining yet again.

Oh dear.  This picture just reminded me that Brookwood Market was today.  I was going to go!  I completely forgot about it.

In my defense, I did a few other things today. Most notably, I mowed my lawn, no small chore as regular readers know (I mean, the lawn isn’t all that big, but to me it is a big chore).  I started my power mower by myself!  I felt like much woman, as my sister Vicki would say.  I tried to battle some of the overgrown stuff I couldn’t mow, like the insidious wild grapevine that is taking over the back.

I didn’t get that much done.

This is an older picture, from a more successful lawn session.  Well, perhaps this is why I am so tired today.  Then, too, I think I am still recovering from whatever ailed me last week.  Oh dear, whining again.

Another random picture, for the same reason as the other.

Also under the heading of things done: I grocery shopped.   I made my salad for the week AND put together tomorrow’s lunch, both chores I usually leave for Monday or even Tuesday morning.  I washed some of the dishes (I don’t know why it is so difficult for me to get them all done, but so it is).

And I have made a blog post of over 300 words.  I’d better stop typing before I start whining again.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Uncategorized and tagged , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Did I Say Daily Blogger? Oops

Posted on August 7, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

So… another gap in what I wanted to be a daily blog.  Never mind why; explanations are tiresome.  Since it is Wednesday morning (is it Wednesday?  I somehow thought it was still Monday), I will try for a Waste Not Want Not Wednesday post.

Pretty!

I took a couple of pictures in my back yard a while ago, after I had spent some time cleaning out fallen branches from the last storm.  My Rose of Sharon as a whole is not looking as lovely as some I have seen in my walks and runs, but I was happy to see some blossoms.  I need to get more aggressive in cleaning out the wild grape vines which are taking over the place.  I am a little afraid my back yard will turn into some cheesy sci-fi/horror flick:  The Vines That Ate Mohawk Valley Girl.  I was thinking maybe The Grapes of Wrath,  but it doesn’t pay to get to literary.

I tried to get just the blooms.

Another area I have to clean out is where my Black-Eyed Susans reside.  I don’t mind them taking over an area, which they also tend to do, but there are a number of other things growing there which were not invited.

She was so cool!

Changing the subject, here is a lovely lady who was pouring canned cocktails at a recent tasting at Valley Wine and Liquor in Herkimer, NY (just to throw in a brief shout-out to a local business).  I did not make it to any tastings last week (they had three!).  I must see what they are pouring this weekend.

I see I am over 250 words.  I call that respectable.  If only I could get back to doing it every day!

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, personal, Waste Not Want Not Wednesday and tagged , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

More Lawn, Still No Order

Posted on June 3, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I did not have a majorly productive weekend, but I did manage to do some yard work today, Sunday.  That gave me a good reason to have a Wrist to Forehead moment, but I shall try not to whine.  Too much, anyways.

When mowing my lawn with the non-power mower, I have left a lot of crap around the edges.  Today I tried to clean up some of that.  One thing I learned, or perhaps was reminded of, is that wild grapevines are quite invasive.  The roots go on forever!  And the vines cling with tenacity to everything handy.  I clipped, I pulled, I hack-sawed.  I added to a growing pile of crap.

One nice thing was becoming a pricker bush slayer again.  You see, some years ago I spent a Sunday taking down a huge pricker bush behind our garage.  When Steven got home from work, he took me out to Miner’s Table at the Herkimer Diamonds Mine.  I wrote about it for Mohawk Valley Living magazine.  For the article I took a picture of Steven toasting me.  When the article appeared, the caption of that photo read, “Steven toasts Cindy, pricker bush slayer.”  I may not have that word for word, but close enough.

Evidence of my pricker bush and wild grapevine slaying prowess.

I soon filled a couple of containers for yard waste pick up tomorrow.  I posted on Facebook that I had literally put my blood, sweat, and tears into my yard work.  I do have some bloody-looking scratches on my arms and legs, and I was ready to cry by the time I gave up and went inside.  I have a lot more work to do, but I felt I had made some progress.

I guess it isn’t all that beautiful.

I was thinking I should have taken a “before” picture but it was too late by the time I thought that.  So I took a picture of a section I did not get to.

Something to look forward to.

My father gave me some advice on getting my power mower going, and offered to come over and work on it if I continued to have troubles.  So I may be making more progress on Lawn Order soon.  In the meantime, I have to be pleased with what I was able to get done.  I can only hope it made an entertaining blog post. Once again, thank you for tuning in.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in gardening, humor, personal, Wrist to Forehead Sunday and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Don’t Wuss! Walk!

Posted on May 30, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

So there I was, sitting on my couch feeling utterly exhausted.  I mean not just tired, but entirely used up.  It is a feeling I get a lot lately.  Oh, stop playing that miniature violin (you know who you are)! One thing I do not need is condescension.  My original plan for today was to go running after work.  Unfortunately, I did something to my back and it was quite painful by the end of my work day.  At first I thought I would go ahead and run anyways.  Worst case scenario:  I stopped running and walked.  Then I thought the real worst case scenario is that I wake up tomorrow with an even worse backache, so I told myself don’t be stupid.  Run tomorrow.

Picture to pep things up.

Still, a walk might help a sore back.  It probably would have been a better idea to take said walk right away, before I sat there on the couch feeling like a big lump of I Don’t Care.  It was the thought of taking a couple of pictures on the walk for blogging purposes that got me into my sneakers and out the door.  I can’t break my streak of posting daily, can I?

The first place I walked was into my own backyard, to check on my rhododendron.  I had seen some neighbors’ rhododendrons blooming and hoped mine was doing the same.  It is blooming but is being overshadowed by a pine tree that grows nearby.  A few years ago I cut a bunch of branches off the tree for that very reason.  I felt like much woman, as my sister Vicki would say.  I guess I need to do it again.  I tried to get a picture of what blooms there are, but the sun was in the wrong place, so I couldn’t get the shot.

While I was out back, I could not help but notice how badly I need to mow.  I need, in fact, to do more than mow, but do some major yard work.  I almost opened up my garage and hauled out the mower.  Once again, consideration for my back stopped me.  Even opening the garage is quite the effort, because some spring or other broke after not being in the right place to begin with (I don’t properly understand these things).  I promised myself to try it tomorrow.  Or the next day.  Saturday at the latest.

Out front, I realized I could take a picture of my daisies, once again taking over the yard.  I just can’t bear to cut them back till they stop blooming.  They are so cheerful.  I put the picture of them after the first paragraph, because I did not want to make my readers wait too long for an illustration.  Then I took a picture of the two peonies that managed to bloom.

I love the smell!

My back was still hurting, but I at least walked around the block.  There were not many photo ops, because I do not like taking pictures of people’s yards without their permission (although I have done it on occasion).  I saw a flowering tree in front of one house, and I wondered what it was.  I took a picture, zooming in so you can only see tree, nothing of the house.  That makes it anonymous enough, doesn’t it?

Perhaps one of my readers knows what it is.

I felt somewhat revived after my walk, at least enough to open the Chromebook and make the blog post.  And I believe I have successfully avoided having a Wuss-out Wednesday.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, Pedestrain Post, personal and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Terrified of Tired Tuesday?

Posted on July 19, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

I’m afraid this is another Tired Tuesday Post, but since I did not have a Monstrous Monday this Monday or last, I thought a couple beasts might brighten up the blog.

Eeeee! Call the exterminator!

Many people have a fear or at least a squeamishness regarding bugs.  These are fake, of course.  I believe they were props for Donate to Murder, a mystery of mine which featured the memorable character, Renwick Spaulding, lover of bugs.

A little bigger than a bug.

And here is Bruce, the shark from JAWS, a favorite summer flick of mine.  I have not watched it yet this summer.  It was one my husband Steve and I always watched together, often on the Fourth of July, a date which was featured prominently in the movie.

And speaking of going swimming…

Here is a good one:  The Creature from the Black Lagoon with the lovely Julie Adams.  I understand she was as lovely in character as she was in looks.  That is always nice to hear.

I shall just mention that one reason I am so tired is that two days in a row, I fought the lawn, and the lawn won.  I keep telling myself that the lawn may win the battles but I shall win the war.  I hope to share pictures when I do.

In the meantime, I have gotten over 200 words.  That is sufficient, according to my rules for me by me.  Since I included monsters, perhaps I should add a category of Terror Tuesday.  Hmmm.  It may be a little strong, but at least it is alliterative.  Oh wait! I see I already have a category of Terrifying Tuesday.  Shows how much I pay attention.

 

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, personal, Terrifying Tuesday, Tired Tuesday and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

How Much Slack Can I Get Away With?

Posted on June 19, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

So I let all of Saturday and a good part of Sunday slip by without making a blog post and am feeling a bit guilty about it.  The fact is, I am having the damnedest time getting myself to do anything.  I did go for two long runs this weekend.  Yesterday I did a load of laundry and washed the dishes before I petered out.  Eventually I wrote a few post cards to my usual peeps.  However, there is a lot more that I need and want to get done.  What the hell, me?

Pretty!

I threw in a picture, before I sank into a boring morass of self-recrimination.  These are my front lawn daisies from two years ago.  They are starting to die off now, and I just spent some time trying to cut them back.  This was after mowing the grass with my non-power mower and pulling up a bunch of other stuff on the side of the house.  And that was after my 50-minute run earlier.  A woman my age gets tired.  I never made it to the back yard.  In fact, a number of failing daisies remain out front.

Now I am lounged on my couch pecking in one letter at a time with the stylus on my Tablet, and sipping a glass of wine,  because I feel any effort deserves a reward.  I think I can move on to the movie watching portion of my Sunday.  Maybe I can even do a Sunday Cinema Post.  But no promises.

 

2 Comments

Posted in humor, personal, Slacker Saturday and tagged , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

I’m Afraid It’s Lame Post Friday

Posted on September 12, 2020 by mohawkvalleygirl

I made it through the week and contemplate the weekend with trepidation.  Is that the right word?  I usually try not to be so cowardly.  But I must be having a craven moment, because I just backspaced those two sentences out.  I restored them with the “edit undo” button.  I must not be afraid to admit when I am feeling scared.

So that was my first lame paragraph from this week’s Lame Post Friday post. I am tired, and I am having a bad writing week.  There, I admitted it.  At lunch time at work, as I sat cravenly doing a cryptogram puzzle instead of writing, I said, “I have got to get my act together.”  My co-workers agreed, saying that they had meant to mention that to me.  I can always count on my co-workers.

I don’t think I ever gave him a name.

I wanted to throw in a picture, to pep things up, and this one caught my eye.  He is currently lurking by me garage.  I don’t know where I will put him next.

This is where he used to lurk in the front yard, under Frankentree.

These are appropriate pictures for today, because the one thing I accomplished was to mow the front lawn.  It was in shade for the most part, so that was good.

Mmmmm… coffee…

This is the coffee cup I used this morning.  This would normally be the weekend for the Mohawk Valley Garlic and Herb Festival in Little Falls.  Alas!  One more thing to look forward to in 2021, I hope.  Oh dear.  I cannot end on such a sad note.  Can I find a cheerful picture?

Maybe I could look like this if I went on a really strict diet.

Here is a cheerful thought: COVID or not, I can decorate my porch for Halloween!  That will also make a good blog post!  As always, I hope you’ll stay tuned.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, Lame Post Friday, personal and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.
← Older Posts
→