I have been suffering for the 2nd Spring in a row with a condition which is unlikely to befall a person of my type: post middle age, poor fitness level, photo-phobic, allergic to bug bites and pollen, plus bone lazy. That condition: a new found willingness to "see to the yard". It started in 2017 when I purchased a corded electric mower (not self powered).
Since then I have been keeping my ECO lawn trimmed-ish, and my front yard's deliberately planted areas weed free-ish. The front yard is somewhat hazardous to the tippy footed, but holding onto the mower has kept me upright. Since taking this on I have had my first ever wasp sting, and numerous mosquito bites which swell to look like new volcanoes emerging in a strangely pale field. ONE bite alone drives me mad.
But the condition has worsened to where I am now trimming bushes and trees and last year declared war on front yard darn-delions. They first appeared in FEBRUARY this year, which is just wrong. Hence, I do a near daily sweep (twice today) for new signs of yellow. For now I am just extracting, either with my upstanding weed extractor, or my hand held weed "fork" for areas either too rocky or too rooty to use the fun tool. Later I will spot treat the ones whose roots I can't remove.
And this year I have discovered some enthusiasm for keeping the back yard darn-delion/moss experimental farm from overtaking the house. My back yard is aggressively rooted by two too large maple trees. I love the shade (on west side) as does the moss (which I quite like) and as does the yellow headed scourge. I decided to "kill" the weeds and nascent blackberry vines on the north side and then cover it with black plastic to rob it of sunlight. I found a roll of black plastic on Amazon which was 25' by 10' which was perfect for my 25' by 5' bit of yard. So today I rolled it out over the hellscape and pinned it down with 6' pins like tiny wickets. After laying the plastic down I could no longer tell where the exposed roots and rocks were, so it was a tippy process during which I fell once. It does not look professionally laid, but I am unreasonably proud of my accomplishment.
This is not the real me. But next week I have an appt. with my psychologist who should be able to get me sorted. I have been alone with my demons since my last visit in mid September 2020, and I fear that left unchecked this trajectory could lead to a serious yard-tending condition.