It's about time the groundhog did his part.

Yesterday marked the true first sign of spring. No, I’m not talking about sunny skies and chirping birds. I’m talking about busting out the grill and doing some manly cooking over open flame. Yes, I broke out the BBQ for dinner last night to take advantage of the great weather outside. While the results weren’t quite what I had hoped for (not grilling for months means I lose a bit of mojo), it was refreshing to feel like being outside was comfortable again.

We got further reminders of spring’s advance in today’s mail. Several months ago, we ordered some supplies for growing strawberries in our backyard. It included a pyramid for planting, some accessories and 50 plants for about $60. Given the price of strawberries often gets up to $5 a pound for California’s measly leftovers (they keep the best for themselves), we’re expecting it to pay for itself very quickly. Aside from trying to maintain our lawn as best we can, this is the extent of our outdoor gardening and such this year, I’m thinking on getting a riding lawn mower actually, I saw some at a list called Top 9 Best Riding Lawn Mowers In 2017 | Tractors for Hills – Top9Rated.

Last year’s forays into improving the landscaping were expensive and time-consuming while not producing anything near the results we wanted. It was compounded by being new homeowners (read: “idiots”) who hadn’t the slightest clue what to do beyond mowing the grass and keeping it watered or how to use their lightweight weed eater. In the process, we killed a pair of Russian Sage bushes, possibly hoarked half a dozen golden euonymous plants and most likely offed some day lilies my mother sent us. (Sorry Mom!) The red cedar mulch got ruined and had to be replaced. All this detracted from trying to keep the grass from dying off or being choked out by those accursed morning glories.

Here’s to a year of “back to basics” in maintaining the outside of our home. I’ll declare victory if we just don’t kill anything this time around.

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5 Responses

  1. Tyler Farrer says:

    I’m totally with you on this. We’re new homeowners for a couple of years now. Last year, we lost all of our cherries to a flock of Hitchcock fans (i.e. birds). Our lawn in the back died-or hibernated, in any case it was brown. The lawn in the front stayed green but it was getting choked out by morning glory.

    My goal this year? Mow the lawn.

  2. Bobbie says:

    I struggle enough to just keep house plants alive. 🙁 In North Carolina and Florida I did so well. Amazing gardens and potted plants. Here, I just suck.

  3. Shauna says:

    Our potted plant would be so much happier if Annabelle would quit eating it.

  4. Kipluck says:

    I have the BEST method for BEAUTIFUL gardening.

    I let my super talented farmer/vegetarian roomie grow her little organic garden and work her fingers to the bone to have, seriously, the BEST plants in the neighborhood and then she shares the spoils with me.

    AWESOME.

  5. Kristi says:

    At least you have cheery tulips emerging?
    And your bbq mojo was right on! Few people can keep chicken moist on a grill.

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