I’ve been working in the yard and garden beds most days over the past two or three weeks.  It’s that time of year when the longer days and not-too-hot spring weather draws me outside and I get excited about cleaning things up, weeding, and working on more landscaping projects.  We bought a house that had beautiful landscaping done about 50 years ago.  Fortunately, some of that landscaping is still in good condition, can be trimmed up, and provides a nice foundation to work around.  Unfortunately, much of the yard and many of those mature bushes are overgrown and there is still a lot of work to be done.  Last year, we made a big dent by having large bushes and some trees professionally removed and we’ve been slowly working on the rest on our own.  At some point, I’ll share a recap of what we’ve done in the yard so far.

Jeff and the boys will help, but none of them are as excited about yard work as I am.  My parents both like working in the yard and since their yard is professionally landscaped and maintained, they come over and help with my yard.  So, they came over on Saturday to help with some things.  When they arrived, my mom got out of their car and, after greeting Sebastian, she said, “Well, look at you!”  I was not in my typical work clothes – sweatpants and a t-shirt (or hoodie if it’s cool.)  I was in a pair of gardening overalls.

Yes, she made me pose in them so she could get a picture.  “You’ll need it for your blog post!”

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I bought the pair of gardening overalls (THIS pair to be specific) a couple of years ago. I was working in our yard more often in Minnesota and thought it would be nice to have a pair with pockets and reinforced knees.  In addition, when I’m on my hands and knees or bending over working on beds, I wouldn’t have to worry about pulling my shirt down over the back of my pants to prevent showing a bit more than I would care to if a neighbor happened to walk by.  I tried them on, loved them, washed them, put them away, and then promptly forgot about them.  I was used to working in my sweatpants and I hadn’t established the habit of changing into them for yard work.  And, despite purchasing them, I had also convinced myself that overalls were about the least flattering thing I could wear and I now wasn’t sure I could walk around the yard or gardening centers in them.

Well, as I’ve been working on the yard of our new home in Maryland, I remembered the overalls and gave them a try despite my reservations.  After using them through hours of yard work, raking, planting, seeding, mowing, trimming, pulling weeds, and even wearing them to the garden center, I am convinced that everyone needs a pair.

It’s not so much about the overalls, although they are very comfortable and have the best pockets, but it’s about having something to put on that says it’s time to garden.  It’s like putting on your walking shoes or your swimsuit or your clothes for church.  It becomes the first step in an activity and, once you’re all ready for it, it’s easier to follow through.

Case in point – I like to garden in the evening when the sun is lower and it won’t bother my skin as much.  (I have developed an allergy to the sun and will break out in hives if I get too much, which can happen pretty quickly, even in the winter or on cloudy days.)  Jeff and the boys went out for an errand and I stayed home to work on some weeding.  I got my overalls and gardening boots on and headed to the backyard to get to work.  I was out there for only about 10 minutes and it started to sprinkle.  I didn’t mind a bit of a sprinkle, but then it started to rain in earnest.  I headed inside and waited for it to pass. It stopped raining shortly after I came in, so I went back out.  Just a few minutes later, I headed back in as another shower passed by.  It felt almost comical like there was a rain cloud hanging over our house anytime I stepped outside.  But, I had my gardening overalls and boots on.  I was dressed and ready.  If I had just been in some sweatpants, I might’ve given up much easier, but because I was in my uniform for gardening, I was persistent and eventually got in a good hour of work once the weather agreed.

Of course, you don’t need to actually have a pair of gardening overalls (although I’m a fan!)  You just need something to put on that says you’re ready for a specific task.  It could be a pair of boots, gloves, and a gardening hat.  Maybe simply grabbing a tote of garden tools is your cue and, once you have it outside, you know you’re ready to work.

Speaking of boots, I have a few pairs of Hunter Boots, but I recently bought a pair of their original play short boots and they are my favorite gardening boots ever.  I’ve worked in them all day Saturday and my feet didn’t get sore at all.  I liked them so much, I bought another style (THIS ONE) as well.

No matter what task, chore, or creative work you’re trying to accomplish, it really is surprising how much a simple cue can focus your attention and spur you to get more done.

I’ll share some of the progress we’ve been making on the yard tomorrow…