Mulch Day
Today we spread mulch in the Oval Garden at the residence. We walked over to the shop, got in our buggy, and headed immediately over to get in as much as we could before the sun really started to heat the day. We worked almost continuously until 11:30 with stops for the usual 9 A.M. break and for Mrs. Allen to go load the truck back up with mulch after we finished a load. The work itself was as expected, not much more can be expected from spreading mulch, but there was still significance to the day and to our work.
Woodberry's Formal is this weekend, and Rocco and I will both be attending. There is a reception in the Oval Garden with Dr. Hulsey where the dozen sings before we head down to the tent by the Barbee Center. I remember last year going to the reception was the first time I had been in The Residence and the Oval Garden in the back. I recall the garden in the back being picture perfect in my untrained eyes although I thought nothing else of it.
The past two days we have spent significant time working in the Oval Garden and Mrs. Allen has spent even more than we have. We have mulched like we did today, but we also spent time pulling weeds, pruning, and planting new plants. I know from talking to Mrs. Allen that she spends significant time maintaining the beautiful space, and she also said that her predecessor spent the majority of her time working in the garden. The garden is an amazing space that requires significant care, and despite her other obligations, Mrs. Allen seemed especially motivated to clean up the space when Rocco and I mentioned in passing that Formal was this weekend and explained the headmaster's reception. Today, I imagined the then empty space filled with Woodberry boys and their dates dressed impeccably enjoying the reception Saturday evening. They'll probably look around at a foreign space and think just as I did one year ago, "Wow, this a really nice place," then continue sipping punch and listening to the Dozen sing.
Today, I got my first real example of experiencing the amount of hard work it takes to make this place looking the way it does, and at the same time, realizing for myself that almost no one will truly notice the work I was doing. No one at Formal on Saturday is going to say, "That mulch is superbly spread in that corner," or, "Those bushes are well-pruned," which is completely understandable. They will notice in passing then move on just as I did, but either way that mulch had to get spread.
The past two days we have spent significant time working in the Oval Garden and Mrs. Allen has spent even more than we have. We have mulched like we did today, but we also spent time pulling weeds, pruning, and planting new plants. I know from talking to Mrs. Allen that she spends significant time maintaining the beautiful space, and she also said that her predecessor spent the majority of her time working in the garden. The garden is an amazing space that requires significant care, and despite her other obligations, Mrs. Allen seemed especially motivated to clean up the space when Rocco and I mentioned in passing that Formal was this weekend and explained the headmaster's reception. Today, I imagined the then empty space filled with Woodberry boys and their dates dressed impeccably enjoying the reception Saturday evening. They'll probably look around at a foreign space and think just as I did one year ago, "Wow, this a really nice place," then continue sipping punch and listening to the Dozen sing.
Today, I got my first real example of experiencing the amount of hard work it takes to make this place looking the way it does, and at the same time, realizing for myself that almost no one will truly notice the work I was doing. No one at Formal on Saturday is going to say, "That mulch is superbly spread in that corner," or, "Those bushes are well-pruned," which is completely understandable. They will notice in passing then move on just as I did, but either way that mulch had to get spread.
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| With our dates at the Oval Garden reception before the Formal, near where we put down mulch. |
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