Yard Help

I've been lamenting for days, weeks - ok, really, for months about my yard and the work involved.  Lately it's been about the tree suckers that I haven't stayed on top of and have sprouted up all through the ground cover in the back yard where trees were cut down this summer.   And the trees - or lack thereof, have been my other lamentations:  do I plant new trees? what kind and when?

Well I've gotten help the past few days on all of those issues.  Met with Diane, an expert at J&L Garden  and Nursery yesterday.  She suggested planting some tall shrubs and bushes in the bare spaces; then proceeded to suggest other plants and flowers for the rest of the back yard!  And told me what to do with the stumps - "Brush and Stump killer".  She also suggested I don't do any of this now, but wait until Spring!  Yippee!  One huge burden off my shoulders.  I felt great pressure to do it now for some reason, maybe because I knew trees were cheaper in the fall.

Lovely tree stump - one of dozens

                                                               Lovely tree suckers growing in the ground cover

Then - my boy Erick devoted his whole day to helping me with the yard: cleaning out planting areas (the overgrown tomato plants, ground cover areas, ) cutting down all of the tree shoots, trimming the vines around the pathways, stacking the wood, cleaning out the shed and getting things ready and in order for Winter.  And much more.  We worked together and got almost all of it done!  He stayed with me to the end.  I still have some things left but I feel SO much better about everything now; the rest seems manageable.
 When we were cleaning out the shed and wondering what to do with some of the things and even what they were, Erick made the comment, "lets just wait until Dad comes back to decide what to do with it."  So that became our mantra whenever we didn't know what to do with something.

Speaking of Doug - I truly believe he has been a part of this yard business and putting people in my path to help me.  One of my inner thoughts has been 'if only Erick could/would take Doug's place in the things Doug was so good at - yard work, repair work.  If only he had the desire, the know-how, the time and the willingness to just come and do - well, that would solve all my problems.  I wouldn't have to call on a neighbor or an in-law, or other family to help.  Oh well, I'll take what I can get and today I'm very happy for the help. I see the Lord's hand in my life today - as well as Doug's hand. :)