There is always a lot to do on our property in the spring, and this year is no different. However, we’ve had a shorter “window” of time to get everything outside done.  Where we would normally do this at a more reasonable pace, Mike’s knee replacement surgery will take place in the next few days and this has accelerated the schedule. 

Here’s some of the things that were done outside in the past ten days…

Compost spread in all the garden beds.   In the  picture below, those are perennials here and there in the dirt.  We’ll put lots of annuals in the beds.

The next picture is the new apiary.   Gerald and Mike installed wire fencing on Friday to keep skunks out. I wish skunks were rare and valuable. We’d be rich. Did you know that the raised area (on the cinderblocks in this picture) where the hive sits should be 1/2″ taller in the rear than in the front? This allows rainwater to run off the roof of the hive.

Rosebushes pruned. I remember reading in Southern Living that the time to prune roses is during the NCAA Final Four so we’re right on time.

The six acres fenced in where our house sits did not have a single tree on it when we purchased this property. There’s now about 70 trees. All have fresh mulch around them to control weeds. This tree is a weeping mulberry tree. Chrissy the Cat gets stuck in this tree several times each year.

Chrissy: I hate her.  She puts me in that tree and gets me all tangled up. I’d never do anything so stupid.

The weeping cherry tree is at the onset of  it’s brief-but-beautiful show this year. Almost bloomed out!

I’m so glad that when Mike comes home he won’t have to worry about these things and can just focus on recovering.