Sunday, March 25, 2012

Hello Spring!

I was going to clean my house the other day.  I did start, but I then I got distracted...

There were these tulip bulbs in my garage.  I dug them up last fall, and never got them replanted.  Every spring they come up in these huge clumps and they needed to be spread out, but when fall comes I can't remember where they are.  I accidentally came across some of them last fall while digging up tree roots. Like I said I never got them replanted they were just in a bucket in the garage.  About a month ago they started growing.  Every time I get in my car, I can see them and I think "I should do something with those."  Well I decided it was the day to do something.  I was going to go outside, but I was sure it was colder than it looked.  I decided since I was going to try putting them in a pot I would just do it inside on the table.  I filled my pot, but there was still a whole bucket full of bulbs.
 
The Strawberry Patch


My Garden
The hill
 I ventured outside to look at some of the flower beds.  I discovered that my roses are getting leaves.  They shouldn't be leafing yet, I haven't pruned them.  And there were crocuses trying to poke through the mounds of dead leaves.  I started cleaning the bed.  I had to go to the garage and get some tools and on the way back I saw another bed in need of help, and yes there across the yard was another spot.  Oh and the poor strawberries are being choked out by grass!  I think that I ended up working on about 6 different flower beds.  I don't think that I finished any of them.  I just couldn't focus.    I spent two more days this week working in the yard.  Including yesterday.  It is starting to look better.  Last year we cut down a bunch of thorny trees and had them chipped.  The giant pile of wood chips is still sitting in the garden.  Since we never got it taken care of we didn't have a garden last year.  I need to get the wood chips spread out on the flower beds so I can get my garden ready for planting.  I don't do anything like my parents garden.  I think that it is too much work.  They spend a lot of time out there in their giant garden.  Mostly I like to do tomatoes and squash and peppers.  I might do peas, but I think right now is the time to plant them, and we aren't ready yet.    I think that we also want to get a tree to plant on the hill where the thorny ones were removed.  A nice tree instead of garbage ones.  Plus we have lost several of our scrub oaks in the windstorm.  We might still be able to see our back neighbors through the trees this year they are so much thinner.  Any suggestion of what kind we should get?  Isabelle wanted to go see the creek, but there is so much fallen wood I couldn't even get to the lower part of the path.  There is a good amount of water, but not as much as previous years.  although I think it is usually April when it hits its height. 

Did I mention I have a sliver from doing yard work.  And I can't get it out.  I also have several rose bush pricks.  I hope everyone is enjoying spring as much as I am.  (aside from the yard related injuries.)


Besides yard work we did get some things accomplished yesterday.  Thomas got our taxes finished.  They were almost finished before, but then we realized that we were using the online version of the program and not the download, which was causing problems.  We were almost finished and he basically had to start over, but it did transfer some of the information and everything else was already collected.  That is always the hard part of doing taxes.  There are always thing you need that you have to hunt for.  I was going to get the van registered, but we have been having problems with the battery.  When I left to get it inspected it was completely dead.  It  is weird because it is a brand new battery.  We have tested the alternator and it seems to be fine.  Thomas charged it and drove it to work.  Hopefully we can get it inspected this week and figure out what is going on with the battery. 

I did also get a little bit of housework done, but not as much as I wanted to.  I spent the evening with my sister.  She made dinner, which we kind of invited ourselves to.   I keep showing up at my mom's house just are they are doing dinner.  She has been kind enough to share.  My older sister is out of town and her kids are all at my mom's house, so my younger sister was already cooking for  a good sized crew without us.  It tasted really good, and I enjoyed visiting. 

We also went shopping for the bathroom tile this week.  WE brought home a couple of samples.  I am not sure which I like the best.  It needs to go with the carpet the cabinet and the wall, which is a turquoise color. 






And it wasn't just me who enjoyed being out in the yard.  The kids had a lot of fun too.  They are so excited to be doing things outside.