Creating Peaceful Places: A New Space for a New Year
As the year winds down, most of us are juggling more than usual: holiday gatherings, family visits, end-of-year projects, and the constant feeling that there’s still more to do. For many, the holidays are a time of joy and celebration, but they can also bring a fair amount of stress. I’ve found that sometimes, we really need a place to pause, a quiet corner to catch our breath and recharge. In my line of work, I spend a lot of time helping people create beautiful outdoor spaces, but the best designs aren’t just about how things look. They’re about how they feel . A great landscape can calm you down, lift your mood, and make your home feel like a retreat. That might mean a small seating area tucked under a tree, a softly lit patio, or even a simple water feature that drowns out the noise of everyday life. December is also when many people start to plan for home improvements in the new year, especially if they’ve recently hosted family or friends. After all, nothing helps you see your space differently than a house full of guests! But whether you’re dreaming up new design ideas or just trying to make it through the holidays, it’s important to remember that your space should work for you . It should give you somewhere to unwind, not add to your list of things to manage.
GAVIN’S GUYS: DIRT AND BIG DECISIONS
Hello, everyone! I hope you’re all having a great time as the year winds down. Me? All is well here. I turned 12 last month and have been spending as much time outside as possible. This month, I want to share a big lesson I learned in 2025: If you want to do great things in life, you need a good plan.
I’m happy to help the farm come together and learn how to stay organized, think things through, and begin a project with the end goal in mind. Dad tells me that I remind him of Stephen Covey’s book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” and that I’m doing a good job putting the things it discusses into action. All this work and organizing has helped me become a better leader. Of course, being a good leader is more than just barking orders at
For the past few months, I’ve worked with my dad and his partner on a 40-acre farm. Working outside and learning to use heavy equipment has
been a lot of fun. The farm is a big project, so it would be hard to do things right if we didn’t map out how we wanted to do them. Whenever we get together to map out a section of the farm to work on, I pay close attention to everything being said and try to be a good assistant. For example, if we talk about irrigation or another project, I take notes and pictures and summarize the whole meeting when I get home. Here is an example of my notes!
people and bossing them around. My dad has been teaching me the importance of being respectful when asking people to do things because that’s a sign of a good boss. Well, that’s all from me until March. Happy holidays to everyone reading this newsletter! I hope everyone has a great start to the new year … and remember, having a plan in place will help!
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LANDSCAPE - HARDSCAPE - IRRIGATION - OUTDOOR LIGHTING
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