Testing Yew

No, it isn't a typo.  I know I have mentioned MULTIPLE TIMES that I really hate the landscaping out front that the previous owners left me.  It is entirely too many plants in one space and I hate rock.  HATE.  However, I know that I am stuck with it because removing all of that rock and digging out all of those mature plants sounds like time and energy that I don't have. 

Here is one of the plants that I hate. 

And I have two of these, ICK!  Normally it is green, but with the brutal summer, it is common for these yews to be burnt here in Kansas.  According to local gardening sources (aka the newspaper) you must trim just the burnt tips off of these plants so that they will not go into shock and will recover from the burn.  After a little while of doing this, I am almost certain it is a practical joke being played on me by someone.

This one is not that badly burnt, but it is still giving me nightmares.  As I sat on the sidewalk, patiently clipping just the burnt tips off my mind began to wander...

If I was in a movie, this would be Karate Kid.  And when I met my arch nemesis, I would have some amazing karate skill learned from this tedious work given to me by Mr. Miyagi, along with words to live by. "Angela-san: Burn on. Burn off."  Or maybe, "Woman who trim all burned parts off can accomplish anything."

Alas, this is real life, and I am pretty sure I don't have any new karate skills.  Maybe, just maybe though, my plants will live.  Below is half of one miserable yew, given the Miyagi treatment by me.  Ha!

Looks better already!  =)