A Spring Day Equals Work!

Yesterday was one of those wonderful sunny, breezy, glorious days that herald the beginnings of Spring! The temperature was in the middle 50's and the outside was calling my name.



Out I went, prepared to do battle with the leavings of winter. Where to start? Begin with small...it has been a long winter and I am so out of shape. That settled, I did start with the smallest flower bed. I had trimmed the Russian Sage last fall and thought I'd done a fair job of raking leaves. Apparently not! But, brave of heart, I began. I raked, and raked and raked! Fat cat came out to help or at least lend moral support, or so I thought. Instead she decided to rest, and keep an eye out for birds while I worked.

I did find green! Unfortunately it was the dreaded Vinca Vine, growing merrily along under the leaves. Years ago, I planted some in a container and "oh look, it's rooted in the ground. How great!" We have been fighting it ever since. Somewhere on the identifying tag it should have said," Will be very invasive!"So once again, I cut and pulled and pulled and cut. Don't worry, it will be back!

I finally got the leaves, vines and trash (yes trash... candy wrappers, a drink box, and assorted paper, but from where?) raked to the edge of the street. What a pile!

Not wanting a strong wind to undo all my work, I lit it on fire. Smelled more like fall than spring, but the smoke blew away from the house. A good thing because I had forgotten I had windows open. And yes, we can still burn leaves in our small town.

Two hours, and many sore muscles later, the bed was clean! I even put out a new garden flag with, what else, Dragonflies! Still a bit bare looking, but ready now for warmer weather, new plants and blooming flowers.

If only I had the other gardens cleaned!