Winter work…
Work and play are words used to describe the same thing under differing conditions. Mark Twain
This will seem like a very odd statement to many of you out there, but…I find that there is something rather satisfying about shoveling snow. I’m sure that I probably wouldn’t say that if I lived in a frequently snowy location so that I had to do it regularly. Because I do it so rarely, though, I find it rewarding.
First of all, I do like snow in winter. The beautiful white flakes cover both the winter drab colors in my yard as well as it’s imperfections. I like to have my driveway and walkway clear so I can come and go as I please so that’s a bit of motivation too. I have to say that I learned the importance of clearing my driveway the hard way one year, but that’s a story for another time.
My driveway and walkway are short so it’s not too much work. Just enough to get me outside and breathe crisp clean fresh air while I accomplish a necessary task. It feels good to get some exercise too. The snow can be heavy, but I just take smaller scoopfuls. It’s pleasurable to purposely place shovelfuls of snow around a tree or over my thirsty south facing flower beds as I think about extra water for my plant friends. Since it’s not a common chore, it doesn’t feel so much like work as a chance to be outside doing something where I can see immediate results for my efforts.
If I could only look at many other chores in the same light, I’m sure that I would not only get a lot more done, but I would have a cheerier outlook about other household and yard tasks.
How about you? Do you have a household task that you enjoy or at least don’t mind doing? My mother-in-law used to love ironing. I have to admit that I find that strange, but I would guess that many of you would consider my liking snow shoveling peculiar too!