Hedge Pains from Procrastination and China

I've had this "to do" list for my house for a long time. Some things didn't get done because I'm lazy. Some, I knew would lead to more projects to put on the list. Some because they were bigger projects than I thought I could handle during the school year (but then I leave when it isn't the school year, so they still didn't get done). And a few of them were put off, because I couldn't decide if they were a good choice or not.

One such project was the hedge in front of my house. Most of the year, it is naked and betrays its age by showing off its twiggy, flaky branches, and awkward growths around old scars. When it's not dormant, it's a wild tangle of several species of shrub, with a variety of greens and textures. Some even berry, adding a pop of red. I like how it looks when it's green, however, I'm aware it also kind of looks crazy.

When it's not green, it looks like it's surrounding the evil witch's castle. And I don't want to be the evil witch! I've put off cutting it, though, because I thought it afforded privacy and dampened sound. It may have, but that doesn't excuse the thicket around the evil witch's castle either.

A few weeks back, I decided to commit to cutting down the hedge to the height of my white picket fence. I kept putting it off though, knowing I needed to do it before spring came, while it was still dormant. The weather has been so nice, however, busy or not, lazy or not, I'd better get to it this weekend, before it starts to leaf.

No such luck, as baby leaves were already emerging. Because of the fierce competition among the branches themselves, only the outside and top leaves would be successful. Those were the sections I was cutting. I only hope the inside leaves can fill in, because I'm not going to change my mind just because of a few cute baby leaves.

On the left, you can see where I was cutting. In the center, the leggy shrubs
I haven't gotten to. The space on the right is where one died last year.

Five hours later, I kid you not, I had cut the section you see to the left, above. Part way through, out of delirium, I think, I got it in my head a few tall ones might look nice, and I left some branches above the fence line. I don't really think they look nice now, but I was tired, and cut up (they had 2 inch thorns I never remember noticing before), and the hedge had popped the chain off my chainsaw three times, bench my hedge clippers, and sheared the bolt on my pruners clean in two. These three tools I had bought when I first moved in and we had thinned out the branches in the back yard. I probably didn't pay attention then, so odds are high these three yard implements were made in China.

I can't remember now how much I've spoken here about China, other than Ai Weiwei, but I've slowly been learning about and becoming aware of the rising amount of materials made in China that seem to have very little in terms of product safety and standards (not to mention the devastating effects its had on local economy). It's all about the cheap, disposable culture. And there that "China" bolt was, lying on the ground, telling me I needed new pruners. Instead, I took the pieces to the hardware store and bought a new bolt. I hope this one holds, though I couldn't tell where it was from.

The one tool I had that cut the cleanest, easiest, and thickest branches, was a small, hand-held pair of garden shears I kept from my grandma's house. They worked so well, I have moved them from rental to rental for five years now, and finally got to use them. I was cutting down whole bushes.

Today, I am paying for the feats of strength the scissor-sized clippers exerted from my hands and arms. It isn't like when I work out or run or bike, that dull, satisfying pain. It feels like someone is chopping off my arms. And missing. :P

While I was at the hardware store, I decided to treat myself to a leaf blower. As you can see above, the leaves have been sheltered among the shrubs and my rakes can't get them. I selected two that were just above the cheapest one, pulled them off the shelf, and looked at the origin. One was made in China. The other, more expensive one was made in Mexico. Decision made! At the checkout, I commented on it. The lady seemed surprised and said, "Oh, I didn't know we had anything in the store that wasn't made in China."