Tidying Up

It's been a busy weekend and I took advantage of the nice, warmer, weather to clean up the backyard. First I had to start by picking up the dog's "business" then I raked up all the leaves and seed pods that have wandered into the yard over the winter. Also, I cleaned up outside the back fence, the back of my yard faces the street behind me, and the leaves and sometimes trash winds up against the fence. I ended up with three and a half bags full of stuff.

Then I proceeded to get my pots and old flower boxes out so I could see exactly what I had to work with. All of them are in really good shape, just dirty. I'm leaving them out in the yard for the next couple of days since it is going to rain. I figure they'll get a good washing that way. I've decided that I won't buy any more containers for this year. I don't know if I can even grow anything so I don't want to over extend myself until I see how this year goes.

There is one more of the bigger, round containers but it is in the storage area behind the lawnmower. And after all that raking, I just didn't have the energy to drag all that out to get it. I'll get it out another day this week. I also have two smaller, clay pots that I plan on using, not sure for what yet.

Maybe I can keep them on the deck and plant some herbs in them, then I just have to walk out the kitchen door while I'm cooking! In a perfect world that would happen!

Then, of course, there is my half barrel planter that I will be using. So I really think that I can, hopefully, plant a nice little variety of veggies.

(You can see the poor little raspberry and blueberry plants that I planted and they didn't make it. It was an experiment gone wrong.)

Today I did some more purging in my closet. There was another box of books that I will try to sell to a second hand bookstore. I boxed up some clothes and shoes that I no longer wear and "recycle" them by giving them to the goodwill. I also found a bunch of VCR tapes with movies that I had taped years ago. In the age of DVD's and DVR, these are just taking up space. I don't know if they are worth donating to anyone, they will probably go out for the junk pickup in May.

I've solved my problem with the plastic produce bags at the grocery. I went to Amazon.com and ordered a set of 6 organic cotton bags that are made for produce. The set includes 2 small, 2 med. and 2 large. Supposedly, you can store your produce in these bags and they will stay crisp and not wilt in the fridge, just get the bags damp before you put them in the crisper. We'll see...... I also order two large cotton/burlap grocery totes to replace a couple of mine that have ripped and worn out.

Spring is coming, YAY, the farmer's markets will be opening soon and there is a local, small "store" here in town that sells local, pastured meat, eggs and milk. They also carry veggies and they have opend another location within walking distance of me, YAY. I've been there a few times for local honey and some meat. It's all very exciting.

Now that the weather is starting, slowly, to warm up, I also plan to save energy by drying some of my clothes outside this summer. I love the smell of things that have been dried outside.

My search for a bike continues.


Kathy