Why I Oughta...

Each year, I try to create a garden to-do list that forces me to prioritize what I work on and by publishing it here on the blog, creates a situation where I become accountable to delivering on the items in the list.  That final to-do list is based on a process where I think-thru (and write out) some priority projects in the Winter/Spring.  And, starting in 2024, I also created a draft version of some potential items that I called an "early look at potential projects" .  I did that same thing in 2025 with another 'early look' that ended up having 18 items in bullet-list format .  I think that almost every one of the eighteen ended up (in some form) on my final list, so the exercise was useful. That list last year was posted in March.   We're sitting here in the early days of January.  So, I'm going to call this one an "Early, Early" list.  And, I'll reserve the right to update this with an 'early list' later this Spring.   The easiest pla...

It is about to be the second week in March.  Spring is coming.  Fast.   For me, that means I need to focus on organizing my yard and garden priorities and draft my 2025 to-do list.    Last year, I posted a short list that I called "an early look at some potential priority projects for 2024" .   That was a pretty helpful exercise - writing to understand (per Paul Graham ). A list of potential projects can be used as the foundation for that larger 2025 to-do list.   In 2024 , I categorized some of the potential projects to front vs. back vs. side yards and ended up with sixteen ideas.  Did I move on all of them?  No.  But, a bunch of them (pizza oven, hosta replacement, groundcover, front yard conifers) made the list and I was able to pull them off (mostly).   Ahead of this post, I've already posted about one of my (potential) priorities - a renovation project: That first, potential 2025 "priority" project was post...

I've organized my approach to the yard and garden season a few ways the past couple of years.  First, I think about some of the potential options for where/how I want to prioritize.  In terms of effort, budget, time and thinking.   Then, I narrow those down to create some focus.  What falls out of those initial priorities is my annual to-do list that helps keep me honest in terms of what I am trying to accomplish.  Last year - I did an early look at some priorities as a way to organize my thoughts .  A few days ago, I marked 20 years of Blogging and in that post, I referenced Paul Graham; and how he has said the act of writing generates ideas.  That's what is at play here.  I need to sketch out an approach and with it, will come some clarity. This is different than my annual to-do list.  Here's last year's scorecard - which is informative in terms of what worked/what didn't work/what's left remaining.  But, this is more about sketc...