Spring = Work = Love

I don’t need to tell you how happy I am to see my spring flowers in bloom!  I live for this moment every year, and every year I am charmed by their beauty. I just can’t stop myself from surveying the beds at any given chance.  New patches of green leaves are emerging daily.  HOURLY on days like this.  I feel like a kid at Christmas!

And then there’s the dark side to gardening.  It’s just plain hard work, especially when your entire yard is garden beds and pathways.  No vast lawn here to fill the space.  And while I don’t have to mow during the summer, I do have a heck of a lot of square footage to keep in line.  With all my moves and life changes last year, I didn’t even bother maintaining the west side of my house. I’d left piles of yard trash laying about and let the weeds overtake the gravel patio area.  To ensure I don’t let another year go by in chaos, I made this my first project.  The trash is all gone, the patio cleared of weeds, the steps lined with landscape fabric (gravel or mulch to follow), and the beds cleaned and trimmed.  It’s not much to look at now, but with a fresh layer of gravel – and maybe a few more plants –  it will be a beaut.

I spent the rest of the weekend clearing out the first section of my backyard.  And as nice as it looks (pictures to follow), all I can see are the fallen trees.  Time to fire up the chainsaw!

And just a little shout out to my forever kitten, Maya, who turns 17 in a couple of weeks.  She might be old and weak, but she still appreciates a nice snooze in the sun.