Of all times to come up with an idea for a blog post, it was while I was outside, after dinner, doing mindless yardwork. Calling it mindless is not an insult because it is not something I dread doing, I actually thoroughly enjoy all (well, most!) forms of yard work. It should be noted that this phenomenon only entered into my life when I moved back into my childhood home a few years ago and after completing a renovation project to it. Much work is needed in my yard but I embrace the work and love the exercise it provides me.

What’s my point? Hang in there, its coming!

My wife snapped this pic of me doing Fall lawn work. See the wood pile behind me? Found a great idea on YouTube on how to stack these easily and inexpensive. Love chopping wood too!

Ironically, growing up, I avoided this kind of work to save my life. I absolutely hated shoveling the snow (still not a major fan of this) or cutting the lawn but those were the tasks assigned to me as a teenager. My father, was outside every weekend – doing something, creating something. I find myself trying to follow in those same footsteps, even if the bug didn’t bite my several decades later! He was very talented and even today, some 50 years after he built the house and the many items that are part of the property – they are still solid structures.

Believe it or not, it is not hard to find me outside for 8 to 12 hours on a given weekend (even if its hot and humid) doing yardwork. I might even end the day of tasks with an additional 2 -5 mile walk on top of it. Got to love those FitBit steps I rack up. Oh, I pay for it at the end of the day or even the next week with aches and pains, but I recover (mostly) and I am back at it again the next weekend.

Seriously, what is this blog post about?? I’m getting to it…

The manual labor work that I do releases some type of endorphin or other chemical in my brain that allows me to think more clearly and even – creatively. One of my brothers, also who successfully has followed in my fathers footsteps when it comes to building things and working outdoors once told me “Take your time doing the work and if you make a mistake, you can always redo it”. So simplistic, but so true.  I keep this mantra in the back of my mind and it allows me to not work hastily or sloppy.

Ok, I am getting to the point, I promise!

A recent cleanup and landscaping project. Not only did I weed the ground, added a weed preventing fabric, but was able to find a nice way to present the tree that is around one of the sides of my deck.

The point is that creativity can come in all forms and can apply to many things. Often we think that creativity comes in how we do our day job. Sometimes the success of our career is based on how creative or talented we are. Creativity can also come when doing mundane tasks like (wait for it) – yard work. Whether it is thinking of a way to add some ambiance to your yard like a privacy screen or a rock landscape, perhaps its in the flower/plant selection you make that provides a certain look to your home, even the color paint you use all uses the left side of the brain which produces – creation.

A positive side of the pandemic was that it provided additional time at home which in turn would create projects for all of us. I embraced that and have much to show for during that time.

I hope to have many more years where I can abuse my body doing this type of work. It provides such clarity to my mind, empties the negativity, creates more room for positive thoughts…and in this case, it gave me a blog idea!