Spring Cleaning

Jim and I worked outside most of today cleaning brush out of the fence line, mowing, clearing flower beds, etc. The temperature wasn't too bad - in the low sixties - and I got by wearing a long-sleeved tee. (Supposed to be 80 later this week!) What made it feel chilly a lot of the time was the very gusty wind that blew all day long. I trimmed small mulberry trees, wild grape vines, and some bush with terrible thorns out of the fence on the far side of the garage. Only one tree was big enough Jim had to use the chain saw. I want the fence to come out, too, since the posts are rotting off and then we could mow easier but then what do we do with the old woven fencing? I already have some coiled up that just lays by the old shed. I know recycling and garbage pickup is the way to go but they don't take many things and you have to admit it was a lot easier when you could just dump junk in a ditch in the far pasture. We do have garbage pickup here in the country but not recycling. We could separate things and take them about 10 miles to the collection bins but we don't. That's a terrible thing to admit on Earth Day, huh? I do recycle household items and clothes all the time, either donating them, giving them away, or selling them and I would recycle the plastics, cans, and papers if Waste Management Recycling picked up in the country.

There are lots of other places where brush needs cleared but the next project I want to do is make a couple of raised garden beds. I mean the type with wood walls not just hilled-up dirt. Hardly any place on our acreage is flat and when it rains hard, the water has washed out my gardens in the past. I want to contain the dirt so it won't do that and I can also control the weeds better. I hate weeding as anyone can tell if they look at my flower beds. One of my favorite flowers is the iris but they're also one of the hardest to weed. My beds all need dug up and replanted, then Preen used on them. It's just such a labor-intensive job and Jim does not garden. He will sometimes run the tiller but that's about the extent of his gardening. He's happier just mowing things off. He prefers the jobs that use power tools not elbow grease.