My father was the king of the divide and conquer method of work. Whether we were mopping the floor, sweeping his shop, mowing the lawn, or hacking away at the weeds on the hillside terrace, you did it in small chunks. Not only that, but you eyeballed the measurement so those chunks would be as close to identical in size as humanly possible.
It’s no wonder that clearing our driveway of a small amount of snow is far from a willy-nilly task. It might be my thought, but it’s his voice saying,
“Walk down until the snow builds up on the shovel, then turn to the side.”
This method, repeated as necessary, leaves me with a series of small squares that can be cleared with an easy sweeping motion. Amazingly, after the first pass, when the driveway looks like a group of large tiles, the job seems much less daunting.
They say that, as you age, you become your parents. It didn’t take very long for me to become my dad. This post is part of Linda G. Hill’s fun weekly series One-Liner Wednesday. And, given the time of the year, it’s also part of Just-Jot-January. If you have a one-liner, I encourage you to join in on the fun. You can follow this link to participate and to see the one-liners from the other participants.
No Facilities 
That method of shoveling snow looks like it will work. I liked the outline of MuMu’s ears behind the curtain.
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It works well, Frank, until it deeper than an couple inches, but then I fire up the machine. I like her shadow on the curtain, too.
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Great photos Dan. Your Dad sounds like mine too.
Lovely photos , what is the creature in the last but one….is it a chipmunk? I can’t make out what he is, no bushy tail so not a squirrel if it a rat it’s huge!
Keep warm 💜
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Thanks Willow. We call him Baby Smoke because we call the black squirrels Smokey. He is a squirrel, but he has that skinny rat tail. There a grey one like him. Their tails are bushy up near their body, but just for a very short length.
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Bless he’s so cute, we have a few black squirrels here in England but they as rare as hen’s teeth! We have an abundance of grey squirrels who invaded England and got rid of the reds. I don’t think there are red squirrels on the Isle of Wight a small island off of the south coast ….they like the black are stunning 💜
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We only have black , grey and the very rare white.
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Are the white ones albino ?
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No, although I did once see an albino squirrel. The white ones are eastern grey squirrels with a genetic issue. They tend to have a little grey on their heads.
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They sound beautiful too 💜
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Ah, the voice of the Dad! I hear it a lot myself. I admit I still argue with it sometimes. Those photos are great. Of course the one of Mumu behind the curtain immediately brought another voice to mind: “The Shadow knows…” It applies! I especially love that frozen waterfall, but the snowy cypress is my favorite. What a beauty that is!
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I’m laughing now. My Dad has been gone almost 40 years. I still argue with him, and I still lose. It’s really starting to look like winter here. You also got me with The Shafow Knows.
Have a good day, Maureen. Stay warm.
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Our parents teach many ways of coping with things that seem too big or hard for us. I miss that.
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I have neighbors who take the “let it melt” approach. My Dad would never allow that. Scrape it down to bare pavement! But you can make a big job easier.
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Do you think peanuts have stunted Baby Smoke’s tail? 🤭Love the bunny tracks and the frozen leaf. When it comes to becoming our parents I think it’s a short trip when we hold them in high regard. My Dad showed me how to mow in a bit square, starting with the outside working in. Hubby taught us all how to be sure we put the next cut slightly overlapping the first to avoid lines. Yeah..I can mow a nice yard. 👍🏻
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Oh yeah, with the overlap. I even do that with the snowblower. Taking pride in what you do. Such a simple lesson.
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Exactly. But taking pride in one’s work can’t be done if one disdains ‘menial’ chores. Taking pride in everything we did was important to my parents and to us in rearing our boys. There were no good jobs or bad jobs they chose, as long as they put their hearts into it.
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Yep. My dad stressed, “do your best no matter what you’re doing.”
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Dan, If you have become your Dad, that is a high achievement indeed!
Paul
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Thanks Paul. I gave up fighting the trend a long time ago.
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“It didn’t take very long for me to become my dad.” Hihihi!! That made me giggle. It’s true, it’s what we become. And what a wicked choice of parents I have. None of them would apply your method though. It seems really useful.
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Your parents sound like great people (and your uncle) 🙂
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I love the bunny tracks and Mumu’s ears. Great photos, Dan, and oneliner. I hope you don’t get hit with heavy snow during this cold spell.
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Thanks Gwen. We might get some snow Friday and Saturday. The forecast isn’t firm yet, but maybe enough to need the machine.
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This will now be my shoveling method of choice. Bunny tracks are almost as cute as bunnies.. almost.
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Haha! The bunnies are all over this place. They even use the handicap ramp 🙂
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Good grief, my dad taught me to shovel the same way! Lol! There was a lot of wisdom in their generation. Glad they both shared it with us. Priceless!
Baby Smoke still has no tail to speak of. What a shame. I wonder if the other squirrels make fun of him. Kids can be so mean!
That’s a neat leaf photo. Maddie is just trying to position it better for you. MuMu’s shadow is a hoot!
What nice bunnies you have that they leave you bunny prints in the snow so you know they’ve been there. Our bunnies leave something else to mark their visit! 🤗
Looks like Saturday is going to be a snow event. 😡 stay safe and warm and dry. Maddie might reclaim her mountain!
Ginger
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That’s funny. It is a good method. It’s the same amount of snow but it seems to be easier. No lifting, I like that part the best.
Baby Smoke is finally hanging with the other squirrels. I hope they don’t make fun. He used to run when we threw the peanuts. He seems to be catching on.
Maddie has to check those leaves first. At least she didn’t squash these.
I’m not making any plans for this weekend, Ginger. Other than clearing the driveway. Stay warm.
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I love the shadow of MuMu! Excellent group of photos! I hear my dad in my head every day…in a good way!
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We can’t escape those lessons. I like seeing MuMu’s shadow. She loves the sun.
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I think we channel our parents. I know I do. Some of their bad habits sneak in as well. But I find them amusing now that I am their age. I’m glad you were able to get a shot of the leaf, Maddie and I need to have a chat.
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Maddie always keeps you in mind, Pam. “Get this right, Pam might want to use it!”
I’ll take his habits in total, Pam.
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I hear my parents’ voices a lot. I like his method though, I have to say. It looks like MuMu is sending the bat signal.
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Haha, it goes look like the bat signal. Maybe she’s waiting for the brush man.
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I think I translated that properly, Dan! MuMu is too cute.
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I hate the way my phone “corrects: my typos.
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Mine, too. I try to catch the most offensive corrections, but it does not always work.
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I only shovel a small portion in front of my garage (the plow guys never get that close), but I completely understand your (dad’s) method of shoveling. It appeals to my obsessuve/compulsive tendencies. We haven’t been over-burdened with snow, but I’m about done with the frigid cold. It’s a whopping 7F (-13 wind chill) right now, but Shelley in the northwest posted a photo of -27F on Instagram this morning. Record cold temps overnight, probably again tonight. Is it spring yet, Dan?
Have a wonderful Wednesday – give high fives to the Editor (because she always deserves those) and a few skritches for each of the furry kids.
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Oh my, that’s too cold. We are supposed to get snow this weekend, maybe enough to use the machine.
My Dad was a bit obsessive about things, especially work. But his methods have served me well.
High fives and scratches all around. Stay warm!
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Your pictures are book worthy. It feels like each need a wonderful story or poem attached
Thank you for sharing them.
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Thank you so much. It’s my pleasure to share them.
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I love MuMu’s little bunny ears! Maddie and the leaf is so sweet. You have so many great themes with the pinecones, leaves, Maddie and the leaves–I really enjoy them. Your dad’s words make so much sense. My dad used to wait until the snowplows came down our street before he would shovel our driveway. Nothing aggravated him so much as the plow piling up all that snow right after he had shoveled.
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That plow guy flies by here on his last run and spreads the snow halfway up the driveway. One time, the guy saw me (having just finished), and he turned the blade and crossed the street so as not to hit my driveway.
MuMu likes it when the curtains are closed around her. It’s like a little sun room on that shelf. We’re burning oil, she’s got solar heat 😏
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1 word: brrrrrr!
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That’s a good word, Steve. But you know me, I’m not a one word or one-liner kind of guy 😏
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Dan, wise words from your father and how to make what seems a momentous task bearable and even fun! I like the neatness of the start of your path. Lovely pre-sunset photos and the sky in winter has its own chilly blue shade!
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Thanks. My Dad likened everything to look neat, even works in progress. It’s nice that the winter days are short enough to see sunrise and sunset.
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You are so right, Dan. We tend to turn into our parents. They would be so proud to know their lessons didn’t go completely unheard. :) Love the snow shoveling method. It can apply to lots of life’s tasks. Great one-liners and photos!!
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I think he would be proud, Jan. Breaking large tasks/projects into small chunks was what gave me the success I had as a systems developer. So many people try to grasp the whole thing, and you just can’t.
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That seems to be a good method of doing it! I just start at the top and go back and forth from the sides.
My neighbor seems to glide as she’s doing hers. I’m terrified of falling I don’t know how she slides doing it! She must have played hockey as a girl.
I love your blue crisp skies in the winter. Your little waterfall, and cypress trees look beautiful.
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I can’t go side to side without too much snow falling off the edge. I go up and down, turning in when I need to until the side sections are short enough to finish off. I do like the winter skies. I enjoy the other seasons, but winter gives us clear views, and the short days let me see sunrise and sunset.
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Oh, I can’t even do a whole shovel full so most times I’m only going halfway then I’m emptying the shovel. Who knew snow was so darn heavy!!!?
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Ir was nice to see Smoky Jr enjoying a peanut. Your pre and sunset photos are terrific. I also liked that bundle of leaves. Pay no attention to that cat behind the curtain. Super post, Dan. Try to stay warm.
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We’re doing out best to stay warm, John. It’s going to be hard until Sunday.
Pay no attention, indeed. MuMu does not like to be disturbed in her “sun room.”
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😁
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Dan, your divide & conqueror photo is the perfect example of when telling something seems perfectly clear, but seeing the image really makes the importance of the point.
I love the MuMu silhouette. Hugs on the wing.
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Thanks Teagan. I thought the photo would help, especially for the folks that never have the pleasure of shoveling snow 😏
MuMu likes her sun room.
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Luckily I have probably a better way of working, because as a teen he asked for my help regularly (his homework for the class he was following!) It sounds like your dad was a good example to follow!
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He was. His methods have stood the test of time.
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I laid a large piece of plastic on the patio floor, unpotted several pots of milkweed. Each pot had several plants in them. I carefully separated the roots of each plant. I put one plant in each new pot then add potting soil to them.
I thought of my father when I did that. I watched him doing it for years when growing up. I always refer to myself as having my father’s green thumb.
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It’s a very special feeling we get when we’re doing a job that reminds us of them. I think that would have made your father happy.
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I’m thinking I’m your long lost sister because that is how I do it even though I didn’t know why. :-) You must smile when you do it thinking he’s smiling too. Good times, good memories.
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I smile every time I catch myself doing something the way he did it. Except, maybe when I reach down to straighten out the shoes I just kicked off. He always had to have his (and our) shoes lined up correctly.
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Me and your dad would have got along like a house on fire! Not that I’ve had to do it that often, but there is something quite satisfying about clearing a path through snow!
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There is. It’s almost cathartic.
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Isn’t it wonderful that we can hear the voices of our dads long after they have moved forward into a new journey. This was especially meaningful to me, Dan. I remember my father telling me how to change the oil in my car. Many thanks.
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These are things they wanted us to know, Rebecca. Maybe they had been passed on to them, but likely, in our cases, it’s things they discovered and could help us not have to learn the hard way.
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How wonderfully said, Dan!!! Thank you.
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MuMu? I thought it was Batman 🙂
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She might be calling for Batman to move me out of “her” chair.
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Dads really do give those tips that stick in your head forever.
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That they do.
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Your dad sounds like a great person to be just like, Dan. I like his divide and conquer method. I am like that too.
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I worked that way my entire life, Robbie. Complex projects become a series of small steps, and progress can be continuous.
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It makes for progress, Dan. People who can break big projects down into parts i.e. project manage, do well in life and achieve.
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And it sounds Breyer saying “17 of 30 steps are done” than “we’re getting there.”
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Yes, event to the person doing the ‘saying’.
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I’ve used that method a lot. It just makes sense. Mu Mu is being mysterious.
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I do that for every project.
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I like your dad’s method. It does make snow shoveling less daunting. Thank’s for the winter sunset photos.
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I’m glad you enjoyed them Jennie – be careful with this storm. I’m guessing you’re getting clobbered.
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We are, but it is light and fluffy. The high winds are keeping the snow off the trees and power lines. It’s the Cape that’s really getting the brunt of it.
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Stay safe
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Will do! Warm fire all evening and great leftovers for dinner (meatballs, spinach ravioli, homemade mac and cheese) was perfect. Tomorrow we venture outside.
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Love the pictures….a very January look!!
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Good description.
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Hi Dan – bet you’ve got more snow now?! Hope all ok …. glad you didn’t disturb Mumu. Equally so pleased you used ‘brook’ … back in 2015 – the Oxford University Press Junior Dictionary (in its wisdom?!) decided to remove ‘brook’ from the dictionary …cracked I’d say – the reasoning … kids in this country didn’t know anything about the countryside. Sad, but true … so well done!!! Thank you – Hilary
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Thanks Hilary – I didn’t know about the removal of ‘brook.’ That’s ridiculous. We did get more snow, but we escaped the worst impact from the storm. We got about 8″ – some east coast towns got 24-32″
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