2007-03-08 - 6:23 a.m.

Can you tell I am working quickly under a deadline? Multiple entries is a dead giveaway in that ADHD fashion of just having to do multiple things at once. So this AM I got up early and had a BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING and took care of FILING ANNUAL CORPORATE REPORT for family foundation.

Organized files for my Immigration Consulting Business (which I have set up but haven't work for and haven't time to rainmake but will do so after MAY 1 when I know if I am marketing as a JD or LEGAL ASSISTANT for now)

BASICALLY Getting ready for filing of IRS forms in the next few days. I hope to get them done so I can then focus on the APPEALATE BRIEF that will be due in about 15 days.

REading intermittently for my awesome Master Gardener Trainee Class I HOPE NOT TO GET KICKED OUT OF. I GOT LOST for our field trip of the pruning lesson from this marvelous teacher PETER who runs THE PRUNING SCHOOL

http://thepruningschool.com/

I hope I redeemed myself when someone handed me a pair of pruners and I did a job on a Boxwood in need of some serious help. Pruning happens to be something I am good at as I remembered what SAM BROWN of Crooked Run taught in his class years ago. Its really funny how my memory for things I enjoy is so very clear. I didn't particularly recall WHY , but I recalled the right way to do things without being able to say WHY . So it was fun when I was handed a saw and lopped off a whole big branch that the class had been gingerly working on after asking if there was any reason we couldn't just Take the whole thing off "right there" so it wouldn't be blocking the path below and to aestetically balance the tree. I was pleased and felt I redeemed my lateness since this is an area I'm experienced and pretty good at and enjoy. I asked the question with this great urge to make that cut, but once again not really knowing if there was some reason NOT TO. I was pleased that my classmates gave me warm, positive feedback.
Later when one other happy pruner who said "This needs a haircut" and I were partners in taking off A LOT of that boxwood it was funny to watch many of our classmates skeptical and concerned looks of worry at the large amounts coming off. We were glad when Peter said "Well done" and used it as an example of how you want a pruned bush to appear:

Looking nice, thinned out in the middle, but so the property owner asks if you are going to prune that one as he can't tell you already have-- until you show him the massive pile of stuff removed.

I can't recommend this class highly enough.

IF you are in the area and THINK you know about pruning
GO
You will learn alot you never knew you didn't know!

If you are in the area and dread the task of pruning GO

If you are in the area and started a landscaping company because you know how to MOW and thought you could undercut the average price of the competition and do OK for yourself (like the young dudes my hubby kindly hired to take care of this place last summer) GO !! YOU WILL SAVE YOURSELF SOME ANGRY UPSET CLIENTS SOME DAY YOu may not yet have encountered any that know about pruning, or shared their shock at the fact you took a chainsaw and RUINED the shrubs that are now in need or restorative repair-- but PLEASE DON'T WAIT UNTIL THAT HAPPENS.

IF YOU DREAD PRUNING
GO
IT WILL BECOME FUN!

This man PETER was the one hired to prune MARTHA WASHINGTON'S MAssive Boxwood that she herself was known to have planted at her historic house in Fredricksburg VA.

That says alot about his skill and reputation.

I can't wait to catch up with paperwork tasks and have a day to prune! Those destroyed shrubs outside are calling my name....

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