I put on my gardening clothes and clogs, added some sunscreen and went out to do real garden tasks. I cut back the perennials in the dining room window garden -- actually just crumbled the dry stalks with my hands and let the fine debris lie for mulch.
I chopped back the Spanish broom. That was a big chore -- so much bending and stooping and it pooped me out. I cut back the hairy goldenaster by the juniper too. A lot of fussy, awkward work.
I cut the skinny boxwood leaders in the potting bench curve, and did the major pruning of the one low side branch on the crabapple that I've wanted to do since I got it.
It felt so nice to be out, the weather was so pleasant, but I get so little done with lots of stops to sit, and I struggle with the hands and knees work and clean up and toting. I even cut up a bunch of boxes for the recycling bin, which was tough too!
Time to hire garden cleanup? Geronimo would do it and I have the number for Jesus that the neighbors gave us. I'd have to accumulate all the tasks and get everything done at once, rather than piecemeal as I see things that need doing.