Sunday, February 13, 2011

A Great Day For Gardening

The wind and rain storm that hit yesterday afternoon blew on through, and this morning dawned calm, mild, and with clearing skies. We saw the sun again today! So by 10:00 we were on our way outside to finish up the heavy pruning we did yesterday. I finished cutting up the lopper sized branches. They are now stored in the garage, drying out. The piles of cut up "logs" are now stacked for firewood. Tom spent the day feeding the shredder/chipper. All of the small branches from the hazelnut limbs are now mulch on one of the maintenance pathways. After spending yesterday on my feet, and making my heel mad, today I spent most of the five hours we worked on my knees, cleaning out the beds under the fir trees. I hauled out bin after bin of twigs and cones, which Tom put through the chipper. This area is now ready for the growth of plants just emerging from their winter's nap.
And the debris is now mulch on another path.
We have been recycling everything on our half acre for many years. But last year we signed up for yard waste pick up, to reduce the work load a bit. We had lots stored up from previous work.
The bin and three bags, the maximum allowed, await pick up tomorrow, and three more bags will have to wait two weeks for the next pick up. All of this material goes to a recycling plant where it is made into compost. With the work done for today, I took a stroll around the yard and found a few things blooming.
Rain returns tomorrow, but that's OK. I got enough fresh air, sunshine and exercise to hold me for a while.
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13 comments:

  1. Sally WesselyFebruary 13, 2011 at 5:55 PM

    Thanks for sharing. I am very much impressed that your area has yard waste pickup. That is so cool. It is run by a private entity or a public? We need that service here.

    Do you use a compost pile? I am seriously thinking of starting one at home. I've not had one before.

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  2. Linda MyersFebruary 13, 2011 at 5:56 PM

    It's gratifying to have the trimmings chipped, stacked for firewood or sent off to be composted. Like we're being part of the solution.

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  3. Linda ReederFebruary 13, 2011 at 7:03 PM

    We have four large compost bins made out of concrete block. Tom just emptied one, so we can start putting soft material in it. Another is probably "done" and he will spread the compost on some of the beds. We also compost kitchen scraps. They get buried in the raspberry patch.
    The various city governments contract out garbage, recycling and yard wastte. Our is done by Allied Waste, a for profit company.

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  4. Day4plusFebruary 13, 2011 at 7:43 PM

    Oh my gosh, Linda, I am exhausted just hearing what you did. 5 hours-yipes. But you do have a yard to be proud of.
    I love all the tender new stuff coming up, I have some early Spring bulbs ready to pop and of course the Helleborus are starting to bloom. MB

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  5. KayFebruary 13, 2011 at 11:24 PM

    It must feel so good to get all that work done and see those flowers as a reward. I don't think I've seen cyclamen in the ground before.

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  6. Great Grandma LinFebruary 14, 2011 at 3:16 AM

    your yard is looking good..love the early blooms and it's great you can recycle yard waste in different ways...

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  7. DianneFebruary 14, 2011 at 5:46 AM

    your love and respect for the planet is rewarded by a beautiful garden

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  8. DJanFebruary 14, 2011 at 5:57 AM

    It's so wonderful to feel a part of your beautiful acreage, with these pictures and your hard work so well documented. It's true, Linda, your contributions to the well being of the planet are so much appreciated. Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day to you and yours! :-)

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  9. AnonymousFebruary 14, 2011 at 7:47 AM

    Happy Valentine's Day! How are you celebrating the day? We celebrated ours yesterday -- at the opera and at a Thai restaurant.

    Love your yard, but the work not so much!

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  10. KaHollyFebruary 14, 2011 at 8:26 AM

    How wonderful to get out of doors and to accomplish so much! I know spring is coming because the mockingbirds have started their beautiful repetoire (sp?) from the treetops.

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  11. Martha ZFebruary 14, 2011 at 9:32 AM

    I wish that my community had these bags. Our one bin with bi-weekly pick-up for yard waste isn't adequate. I used the last several days of nice weather to clean up the garden and now we have the rain and wind.

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  12. KathyAFebruary 14, 2011 at 7:17 PM

    Can't believe how much ahead of us you are as far as blooms. Most of the snow melted off today -- so maybe I need to go out and take a look!

    I like the way the mulch looks...

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  13. Jerez SherryFebruary 15, 2011 at 2:33 PM

    Hi Linda!
    I came to see your valentine day offering.. Great, as usual..
    so nice to have these little things that are so sweet. And about your gardening, you two are so organized.
    I see some cats have been in my garden, so I have that clean up to do before thinking of much more.
    Procrastinating now.. lol
    Anyway, I'm not sure what blog I'm logged into. Mukilteo Daily Photo is my blog tho, currently.

    Nice to see all the plants emerging..isn'it? I love it!

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