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Ahhh, Spring!

While it’s a little scary how mild this winter was here in western New York, it is SOOOOOOO nice to have wonderful, sunny, breezy March days in the 60s. It’s not totally unheard of, although yesterday did set a record for high temperature in Buffalo.

Yesterday was so nice that I couldn’t content myself with just my usual 2 mile walk. I was sitting at my loom, but outside was calling me. Repeatedly. At about 10:30 I answered, knowing that rain was predicted for the afternoon. I have gardens galore — way more than I’d like to take care of at this point in my life. Would I do some spring clean up in one of them? It would be relatively easy, a way to break my body into the manual labor of the gardens. I considered, but decided no.

I’d undertake step one of an important task. I thought I’d need help with it, but help wasn’t here and the weather was. I have an asparagus bed that needs to be moved as a result of poor planning on my part – I’d planted some spruce trees too close to it, and they’re growing rapidly. Can’t move the trees, gotta move the asparagus or lose it. In the fall I’d considered a variety of potential locations for the asparagus, which needs a deep, rich bed – something in major short supply here in my mostly clay yard.

I finally decided that I’d rip out my old raspberry bed. We put it in at least 20 years ago, and despite my attention spring and fall, I get very few berries for the amount of work. Little return on my time investment. But it has great soil after all those years, so would make a fine place for the asparagus.

I should have taken a before photo, but the thought never crossed my mind. I couldn’t help myself from taking an after, though.

cleared bed

This is the end result of about an hour and a half of work. I thought it would take longer, or that my muscles or energy would give out before I was done, and was pleased that I could complete the job in one sitting. I’m also pleased that my back is not complaining today. My hamstrings are sore, but that’s fine. It tells me I was appropriately pulling more with my legs than my back, which is what we’re supposed to do. Go figure.

I’m not looking forward to that next step – digging out the asparagus roots – but maybe that won’t be as hard as I anticipate, either. I know it has to be done as soon as possible, before those little green delicacies start growing.

Step three, which can wait till I have someone, possibly someone with a machine, will be to refill that old asparagus bed with soil so that the tree roots can grow and I can mow.

Speaking of growing things, on my afternoon walk with my dog, this shock of bright green was so pleasant I had to shoot it.
first greens
I think it’s watercress, but I could be wrong. I’m not eating it, in any case.

Your turn: what’s going on near your house?

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