While I imagine myself to generally be pretty even-keeled and reasonably happy, I also acknowledge the existence of phases I might go through, such as intense productivity or protracted procrastination. Attention to the needs of the yard, or the opportunities to improve it, are certainly affected by these phases. A burst of energy and drive might get me started on something big, and then I stumble a bit in the execution. I think that undertaking to a state of reasonable completion the massive yard rehab and irrigation system installation in 2020 put me off my game for what I must admit was a two-year phase. I established great infrastructure, you might say, and then didn't build on it as I had hoped. The lawn looked great; the planting beds were neglected.
Spring 2023 feels different, renewed, re-energized, and ready. On either side of the front steps, I prepped and planted and mulched, setting up some pansies to help start the colorization of the setting. Faithful standbys like the azaleas are pitching in as is their seasonal habit:
This is the largest of the original azaleas planted along the driveway on the south property line. More recent azaleas, along the side of the porch and in the area we call the Grove, are just now beginning to bloom.
The tulips are not quite done, the last of the daffodils are just about to finish up, and I see the gladiolus tips are full of promising future flowers.
Since my second tiller was stolen in 2019, I'm left to turn up the soil in the planting areas by hand and by shovel, which is breaking my back! I spread the task out over a number of days, though, finally getting things into rake-able shape on Wednesday. Then I was able to plant some of my kitchen garden, including basil, sage, and thyme, and a new rosemary bush in a better spot.
A fresh supply of mulch, spring plants and kitchen herbs bought and either ready to plant or already planted, fertilizer spread, a lot of weeding undertaken, some spring bulbs planted, and the rear lawn treated for clover and weeds...it's feeling like a good start on the outside obligations.
Sumner and I are glad we took full advantage of the incredibly pleasant mornings on Tuesday through Thursday to enjoy the driveway during coffee time; so too was it a delight to sit through the early evening in the fading light of the front yard, seeing the rise of the nearly-full moon Tuesday night...just before the season's first mosquito began attacking! It's not surprising, with the usual rainy days of early spring, which also are fostering aggressive spawns and spores of weeds even in my well-mulched areas (see photo above). (On Thursday morning, I pulled around 150 of them from one small bed just on one side of the front steps!) It seems such a losing battle, a temptation to feel a bit overwhelmed...but fight them I shall, as best I can.
But then, on what is known as Good Friday in the Christian tradition, our fair city of Winston-Salem found itself blessed with a good amount of rain, a bad drop in temps to the low 40s, and a good effort to still get in my daily walk even though it required steely courage and a good umbrella. Goodness! There is a former version of myself who would not recognize this determined stroller braving these discouraging elements of the day’s dealt hand, but there I was in all my wet glory. The hot shower and steaming leftover beef stroganoff put me back to rights quickly, ready then to settle into an afternoon and evening tucked deep into the soothing warmth of this cozy home place (and the rare late-day cup of coffee!)
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