It’s the time of year when the summer furniture gets pulled out of the garage, the lawnmower is tuned up, the pots are filled with plants and a fresh coat of paint spruces the decks and doors. The goal is to have it all done by Memorial Day.

Right now, two piles of compost and mulch have been dumped on my front lawn because there’s no room in the driveway. In my corner lot in the heart of the Higgins Beach, the construction project has pipes along the side yard and a large construction sign in the front, leaving barely enough room to maneuver two cars in the driveway. Fresh brown mulch around plants suggests a well-manicured garden. And with the compost underneath, plants thrive, choking out weeds that may have thought they stood a chance. Among the neighborhood construction chaos, I was hoping that my yard could be my sanctuary.

But just when I thought I was ready to spread, word came that the construction project would be cutting into my garden, and plants would have to be moved. Like the construction project itself, plant moving grew in scope. Before long, I had moved plants in all of my gardens. The compost- and mulch-spreading project was on hold.

Behind schedule in my gardening project, I got up very early Saturday morning to tackle the piles. I anticipated some weekend quiet time without the sounds of heavy equipment that have surrounded my house since last fall. No such luck. The construction vehicles were hard at work as this project, like my home project list, is behind schedule.

The Higgins Beach work has grown in scope. A decision was made to add a sidewalk down Ocean Avenue – and Greenwood Avenue has moved over, with a few new bends to the road. Since our house is perched on the corner where these two roads intersect, life has been very interesting. A residue of continual dust floats through the air, landing on everything, so painting is out of the question. Digging seems to be the ongoing theme, and spading and growing grass will naturally follow. No need to tune up the lawn mower yet – we’re still waiting for the grass to grow.

We all know what happens with projects. Once you get into the details, you uncover problems or opportunities and the scope always seems to broaden. Life is full of interruptions that demand you drop the things that you’re doing and focus on the immediate problem at hand. These obstacles provide surprise elements that keep you wondering what’s really around the next corner – and that keeps life interesting.

I have no idea when this project at Higgins Beach will end. There seems to be no end in sight for the many projects that I have around my house. I have no doubt, however, that both will be beautiful when they’re done. One thing is for sure, though. I’m not going to stress over the Memorial Day goal this year.