Short Answer = Stupid, Yes!
lol
My parallel guilt was palpable, working flower beds all by myself on both sides of the driveway and the walkway to the front porch - along the side of the house, across the back wall of the yard (with steep steps descending from there to the lower level), and a corner rose bed.
Off the great room by the fireplace was a screened porch; out the dining area doors, an open deck.
Naturally, the steps going down to the yard from the latter necessitated planting a zillion zinnias to hide the lattice..:))
In the area by the hammock was a gravel path going down to the water - yep - lined it on both sides with rocks and rows of annuals, plus another side bed.
Enough? Oh, no, the dog pen on the slope was removed, and made a great sunny spot for planting, and I made a bed below the wall on the side by the vacant corner lot - wooded city property that we mowed and maintained for the good of passersby.
When they did some work by the lake on the right of way and bulldozed an area of lovely dirt by the water, I hastened to strew zinnia seeds I'd carefully harvested the year before, and it yielded hundreds of plants with vibrant colors in masses.
After two years, when I was putting in pansies by the roadside in a new bed, the landlady announced she had to sell the house.
Whew! Turned out I was rapidly reaching my limit in maintaining it all, struggling to get up and down the hill, and the Lord said "WHOA!! Need to transplant this gal before she drops in her traces!"
In a small town where affordable rentals are very few, a wonderful neighbor two doors away made it her mission to find shelter for us. Miss Myrtle, the epitome of gentle and caring Southern Woman, nagged Mr.Walter, the widower across the street from our house.
"Now, Walter, you just HAVE to find a roof for Margaret's head!"
In his 80's, Mr. Walter is vigor personified, despite heart troubles, until then still maintaining his farm acreage out by the Country Cub. He used to be in the real estate business, and most assuredly did not need any more property.
He used to bring me fresh vegetables from the farm, and I'd made it a point to wield my weed eater on his yard now and then, as Southern neighbors work things, and my husband would mow his yard with our riding mower sometimes.
Sure enough, he said to us, "Let's look at houses for sale in your price range, and I'll buy one to rent to you."
We thus have a smaller level corner lot closer to the shopping area, and one I can more easily maintain, up until now. Scaling back a bit, but managing....
God is full of beautiful miracles, and I have had more than my share!!
He made me an Appreciator at an early age, and I never lose sight of that.
Think this part was perhaps meant for DollyCali?
I'm afraid the last time I saw my precious mother was when I was 27, and my parents put the boys and me on a plane to join my husband in South Dakota.
From there, we were sent to Fairbanks, Alaska for 3 1/2 years, and she passed away when I was there and just 31.
She was a most special person who did not ever try to dictate what to do with my life. My sister and I still marvel that we cannot remember a single time that she raised her voice to us!
She was warm and intelligent, and possessed a great sense of humor - someone you simply wanted to please - -