Spring Cleanup

In the midst of Birthdays and Bunnies, we kept busy with more work on our Still-New-To-Us home. 

 

While all of our efforts were poured into the interior of the house last spring, this year we are working on the exterior.  Specifically, the overgrowth of shrubs, trees, and plants.  It felt SO good to get outside in the fresh air after a long, cold winter.

 

I haven't shared our big news on the blog yet.  I keep meaning to, but the words just haven't come together.  Short version is that we now have our own accounting firm, Foundations Accounting, with our office based right in our home!  Of course, as we prepare to hang our new sign at the door, we wanted to be sure it could be seen.  That put us to work on the 8-10 foot lilacs hedging the front yard.

And, of course, if you give a Mom a hedge-clippers....well, you know how that story goes...

We had this crazy, twisted vine-y thing growing at the side yard.  Watching it last year, it didn't do much but make a mess, climbing so high into the trees, we couldn't reach it.  We enlisted everyone's muscles to take it out.  It had so much liquid in the branches and roots, it dripped for weeks...even months (you know, it's the start of summer that I'm finally writing about all this).  Come to find out, it's some sort of kiwi plant the previous owners planted. Strange. 

 We will likely see more of it as the season wears on. It's holding fast and the roots are buggers to dig out.  I will say, the children really enjoy having the vines to swing from.

I took on the side flower beds as well. They needed major cleaning out.  I have rosebushes there. :)  There are all sorts of other treasures as well that I'm enjoying.  I keep watching for what comes up so I know what needs pulling out, transplanting, and keeping.  More great reasons to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine.

The gorgeous azaleas, forsythias, our magnolia trees and later, the lilacs colored our yard this spring. Did I mention how glorious it smells when I walk out my door in the springtime here?

 

 

And, of course, I had to bring that heavenly scent inside to savor.

 

I've always said that fall in New England is what redeemed the uprooting of this Midwestern girl.  The overwhelming beauty of the colors of the trees, you can't help but love it.  Yet, this spring found me with a brand new appreciation for the season. There is something about having a bit of the newness and first bursts of color and fragrance after the dry, dark winter days be your very own to enjoy on your own little postage stamp yard in the world. 

 

Well, it just made spring Something to Savor.

 

" 'Do not call to mind the former things, Or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.' "

Isaiah 43:18-19