LOL Oh the chore list is large; 4 kids (ages 2, 6, 11, 13), full time work for both, home upkeep, pond work, land work, gardens, etc etc etc. All the usual suspects, right?
We've been pushing away the hustle and bustle over the years in favor of slow down and enjoy. Every day I'm on the land I see the list of things, it's a real mother! The past 2 years I've felled over 100 trees, from small 4 inch diameter to large 3.5 feet diameter. While I am aware a chainsaw could fall the targeted trees in one day's time, I still take the handsaws and go at it. One near 70' pine took me about 1.5 hours of hand sawing, and I believe that would have been maybe 10 minutes on a chainsaw?
Slow and steady, like a turtle, we just keep knocking things off the list. We'll never be "done", because we'll always have to "maintain".
But I hope to finish some serious work this year because it would be nice to sit back and enjoy a little more. Having so many half done, quarter done, not even close, and almost done items ... there were over 15 years of neglect on this property and playing catchup takes some time. Power tools and a crew would probably get it done in a week. Hand power and one man band has taken 2 years so far, laboring here and there as time permits, but the reward and satisfaction has been massive.
Enjoy the power. I think one reason I go the other way - my pops borrowed a chainsaw when we were kids. He was supposed to take down a pussy willow tree that was hit by lightning. A couple hours later he essentially clear cut our back yard. Give a man a power tool and watch out! LOL
