shrub therapy

Yesterday was a day for shrub therapy. Destructive constructive work. There is a lilac hedge about thirty feet long beside my Mother's house. It hasn't been trimmed in maybe 12 or 14 years. It's taller than the house, it rubs against the house, it's growing into the porch, it's way too ugly. Many of the branches are dead or broken from winter storms.

Every few months I would ask Mom if I could prune her lilacs.
"No, it doesn't need it."
"No, I'll do it."
Sometimes I can snip out a few dead branches before she stops me.
"You're cutting too much."
"You're ruining it."
"It will never grow back."

Yesterday I spent four hours trimming the lilacs. Everything larger than my wrist got cut out.
Everything taller than six feet got pruned. Everything rubbing against the house was removed.

The lilacs look great. I can't wait for spring. You can finally see the house, and see who is coming up the driveway from the living room.
And it was one tiny step in making the house look less neglected.