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Landscaping Should Be Fun!

6/22/2012

7 Comments

 
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Remember to Have Fun Out There!
With the 2012 season in full swing, I often find myself running in about six different directions at once.  Managing my current project, ironing out details on pending projects, ordering supplies, picking up materials, managing labor, meeting with new prospects, and working on estimates.  All in an honest day’s work.

And sometimes in the heat of all that chaos its easy to forget why I got into this line of work in the first place – Because I really like working outdoors and creating fun, comfortable, interesting outdoor spaces.

And to be honest, I sometimes have to stop and remind myself of that.

Landscaping should be fun.

When I was kid I used to spend countless hours in our local creeks.  Building dams, catching salamanders and frogs, following the small runs through neighborhoods and discovering what creeks connected to larger creeks and where these creeks led.  It was fun, provided an imaginary escape, and was a backdrop to my youth.

I get home from work now in the evenings, and my kids are spending their free time exploring our yard and neighborhood.  Catching insects, playing in the sandbox, and digging in the dirt.

Playing with the earth, in one form or another, is a timeless rite of passage.  And as a landscape contractor I am privileged enough to have a job where I get paid to play in the dirt.  OK, it’s a bit more than just playing, there’s certainly some skill and some know-how that’s involved.  But I’m outside working with nature.  I can’t imagine a better workplace.

I hear people complain sometimes, “oh, these weeds, my back, this manual labor, the dirt, etc.”  To which I think to myself, I thought the whole point of working out in your garden was supposed to be an escape, a fun hobby, or a personal interest.

And to be honest, if you were to happen to catch me on the computer late one night as I finalize an estimate or work on my bookkeeping, you might hear a choice complaint or two come out of my mouth.  And when I catch myself doing that, I stop for a second and remind myself of those glorious 80-degree days, when we’re working in the mottled sunlight as commuters get up and drive to their office and fix themselves at their cubicles.

And the complaining stops pretty quickly.

Landscaping should be fun.

I’m fortunate to have a job that allows me to spend my days outside, working with the earth.  Amen to that.

7 Comments
Matt link
6/27/2012 10:51:25 am

To me there is beauty in simplicity....yet it's easy to get wrapped up in all the business rigamarole even in the outdoor trades. A very nice post on perspective there Clark..well said.

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You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this matter to be really something that I think I would never understand. It seems too complex and very broad for me. I am looking forward for your next post; I’ll try to get the hang of it!

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    Company

    Clark Kent Creations, LLC is a full-service landscape construction company servicing the Pennsylvania communities of Delaware County, Chester County, The Main Line, and the University City, Art Museum, and Manayunk/Roxborough neighborhoods of Philadelphia.  In addition to this blog page, additional information regarding the company and our services can be found on the subsequent pages of the site.
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    Author

    Clark Linderman is the president of Clark Kent Creations, LLC, a landscape construction company based in Swarthmore, PA.  He is a proud graduate of the University of Michigan.  In addition to his passion for all things outdoors, he counts Michigan football, Phillies baseball, Superman memorabilia, Memphis R&B music, and good craft brews among his many interests.  He currently resides in Swarthmore with his wife, Sheila, two sons, his dog Krypto, and a really, really messy garage full of work supplies and toys.

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    Contact Us:
    Clark Kent Creations, LLC
    Swarthmore, PA
    Design and Construction to Maximize Your Outdoor Experience

    707-290-9410
    clark@clarkkentcreations.com
    Serving Delaware County, PA

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    Like my Blog?

    If you like the content of my blog posts, here are a few other blogs that I check in on regularly:

    Stone Soup:  A Master Stone Mason shares his craft.

    Arcadia Gardens:  Plenty of great tips about horticulture and landscape design.  A great blog (even though she's an MSU Spartan!)

    Revolutionary Gardens:  A Virginia-based landscape designer shares his work and ideas.

    Rockin Walls:  A certified dry stone mason from Maryland shares his projects and tricks of the trade

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