Why Can't Everything Just Be Black and White?

I have always had problem with gray areas - ask my husband. I am a black and white person. Trying to simplify a landscape  with shadow and lights just makes wish I had a reboot button for my brain.  All I want to do it put down pretty brush strokes and that isn't going to happen until I learn to group the shadows and light. Else, I will just move paint around....
Here is a quick  study. One black and white and then a limited palette.