Tag: outdoor chores

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From Heatwave to Hoodie: Yard Work Chronicles and a Deck Drama Unfolding

Written August 21, 2025

Hello Dear Readers,

Just last week, we were sweating through a hurricane-induced heatwave. Now? I’m out mowing the lawn in a hoodie, wondering if I should’ve brought a scarf and mittens too. The weather, in its infinite flair for drama, decided to fast-forward into fall mode without so much as a polite warning.

When I started mowing, it was cold enough to make me question all my summer life choices. But after an hour of pushing the mower like it owed me money, I finally peeled off the hoodie. Two more hours of mowing later, I was borderline ready for a popsicle. Who needs a gym membership when your yard doubles as a workout arena?

Funny thing—I remember the final week of last year roasting in 100°F while my wife and I were clearing the deck like caffeinated squirrels. Yes, skiing around the house in triple-digit weather. (Don’t ask, just know it involved leaf blowers and poor life decisions.)

This summer’s been milder. Mornings are now dipping below 60°F, and we’re bracing for more of that crisp, early autumn air. The upside? Cooler temps mean slower lawn growth. I live for those rare weeks when I can skip mowing without guilt. Earlier this summer, a cold snap bought me a guilt-free mowing sabbatical. It was glorious.

But, of course, nature’s always got backup plans. Just when the grass slows down, the trees start shedding like a stressed-out cat. Leaves everywhere. My wife was out vacuuming the lawn last weekend (yes, vacuuming—welcome to modern suburban warfare) because the tree decided it was done for the year. Between the cold and the lack of rain, it’s shedding faster than last year, and I have a sneaky suspicion it’s not done yet.

She’s been the MVP of yard maintenance lately—mowing every weekend like it’s her side hustle. I was secretly hoping things would slow down for her. She works like a machine during the week and somehow still finds time to tame the wilderness behind our house every weekend.

Oh, and let’s not forget the deck drama. Our stairs broke. Why? Because some genius (bless their heart) built the original deck using a massive tree as a support beam. Great idea—until we had to cut the tree down to avoid, you know, destroying the house foundation. Surprise! No tree, no support, no stairs.

Now we’ve got a leaning fence, a wonky path, and stairs that whisper “danger” with every step. My wife is researching stair repairs like she’s prepping for a TED Talk. She suspects we’ll need a post-hole digger to do it right, and she’s even thinking of swapping the deck boards bit by bit with PVC boards. She’s not an expert—yet—but if I know her, she will be by next weekend.

Honestly, I just hope the yard doesn’t throw us another plot twist before the week’s out.

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Chilly Days, Leaves, and Adjusting to Nature’s Rhythm

Written November 12, 2024

Hello Dear Readers,

It’s so darn chilly today, but I must push myself to clean the leaves. The windy and rainy days made our front yard cluttered with leaves. This is what happens when I skip working on collecting leaves.

The hurricane gave Nashville a couple of chilly days. It has been so cold today that I almost wanted to stay inside the house. I waited a bit longer, hoping the temperature would be more tolerable. After I had a brain stroke, I lost control of my inner thermoregulation system. My skin feels the heat or chills more profoundly than before my brain stroke. I will adjust my schedule for outside chores since external conditions impact me more. If I didn’t have to finish the task today, I would instead want to complete the task in a better condition. 

Just like I hoped, a few hours improved the temperature. It seemed much warmer after a few hours. The lovely sunlight dried up the leaves enough to vacuum easily when I got outside. The wet leaves could be nasty sometimes; they get clogged in our leaf vacuum cleaner in the middle of the cleaning. 

On a day like this, I tweaked my schedule. I can still do the other chores in the house before doing any outside chores. I still have several tasks I need to complete besides the leaf vacuuming today. 

The several consecutive warm and humid rainy days confused our lawn with the season. They seemed much longer than a few weeks ago. It needs to be longer to mow the lawn, but I need to see how long it gets. 

I plan to do one more round of leave vacuuming this Thursday. I’ve checked the weather forecast. It will likely be another chilling morning. Luckily, no rain is predicted between now and then. The trees in front of our house lost a substantial amount of trees, hinting that my leaf vacuuming task will end soon.

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Lawn Care, Falling Leaves, and Easy Fall Chores

Written 8/27/2024

Hello Dear Readers,

As autumn slowly arrives in Nashville, I can feel the subtle shift in the air and see signs of the season’s change. The once rapidly growing grass has largely ceased its energetic push toward the sky, and the cooler weather has made everything feel a bit more relaxed. With the recent lack of rainfall, the trees have already started shedding their leaves earlier than expected. It’s a sight that marks the beginning of a new chapter for the landscape, with dried leaves decorating the ground and the lawn no longer demanding as much attention.

The lack of rain and the cooler temperatures have significantly prevented the lawn from its usual growth spurt. That’s why I decided to skip mowing for the first time in months. The grass didn’t look eager to grow, and with the season transitioning, it felt like a good time to pause. However, if you know Nashville’s weather, you know it’s unpredictable. While it might feel like the mowing season is over, there’s always the chance that a warm front will come through, pushing the grass into a final burst of growth before winter sets in. I’ll have to keep monitoring it over the next few weeks, reassessing as I go to see if the lawn needs one last cut or if we can officially retire the mower for the year.

Mowing the lawn has been a key part of my summer routine, but other outdoor chores take center stage as the season changes. The fallen leaves are already creating a patchwork carpet across the yard. As they pile up, they’ll need to be dealt with before they get wet and decompose, making them even more challenging to clear away. Leaf removal is a task that only intensifies as autumn progresses, and I’ll have my hands full before long.

Meanwhile, my wife has taken the initiative to tidy up around the house by tackling the wedding on the weekends. Weeding is another job that tends to escalate this time of year, so I’ll likely join her efforts this week to help ensure everything stays in shape.

We’re bracing for temperatures to spike again, with forecasts predicting highs over 100°F (38°C) on Thursday and Friday. My wife isn’t thrilled about the heatwave. Still, she’s already set on tackling another big project—power washing the siding, deck, and driveway. It’s a daunting task in such extreme weather, but it will be rewarding to have everything looking fresh and clean as we move into fall.

With the changing season comes new challenges and responsibilities, but it’s all part of maintaining our home as we welcome autumn in Nashville.