Category: On The Stump
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Some Mistakes Have to Be Made
A few weeks ago I changed the spark plugs in my wife’s car. If you’re a mechanic or done the job before, it’s simple. I’ve never done the job before. I read the service manual which makes car maintenance similar to building with Legos. Remove shroud D (See diagram) then disconnect coil pack and remove…
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Saying Goodbye
Yesterday was a melancholy day at Land Designs Unlimited LLC. A client of 5 years is moving and yesterday was my last visit. There’s a chance the new owners will want my services, I hope they do. Unfortunately, experience has taught me it rarely works that way. This landscape is special for a couple of…
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Fall Cleanup Finished Today
Today I finished last year’s fall cleanup! Not a moment too soon either, in a few short months leaves will start falling again. Let me explain, normally I use a leaf blower to blow the leaves onto the grass then shred them with a lawnmower. However, last year I decided to go Old School and…
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Patient Craftsman of Exceptional Landscapes
I don’t want to say it’s been a bad year, it hasn’t. It’s been typical of what a year as a landscape designer and a contractor has been as long as I can remember. Typical meaning constant change and no guarantees. You Never Get Every Job It took me years to realize you’ll never get…
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Bird Baths and Husbands
Yesterday, I started the search for a bird bath for the back yard. I was hoping to find something simple, a flat stone with a bowl carved into it. Indeed I’ve admired a few like that over the years. I headed off to Swenson Granite. I spotted what I was looking for. Unfortunately, there was…
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Happy Halloween 2018
I hope you get all the candy you wish for.
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Dissappointment
Earlier in the week a client asked for a quote to spread soil around their new drive. I’m disappointed in myself because I almost spent more time contemplating the job than doing it. I believe the term is analysis paralysis. Let me explain. When talking with the client I said I can do the job…
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An Evening Walk – The Road not Taken
Last night I went for the best walk I’ve had in a while. We’ve had high heat, high humidity and a ton of rain the last couple weeks which hasn’t encouraged walks. I started around 5:00 PM without much of an idea where I was headed. At one corner left would take me home in…
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Why I love Gardening
Tonight as I walked through the yard I saw a spider weaving a web. If you thought a spider carefully crafted a web over the course of days you’re wrong. I would guess it took the spider an hour or two to weave the web below. This post isn’t about spider webs but it’s related…