Spring Clean Up but it's Winter

We have been experiencing unseasonably mild weather and decided to make the most of it before it snows, again.

I kept busy by raking out the flower beds and picking up twigs and broken branches that litter the lawn after any windy weather.  R then came along and picked up the piles of leaves and branches.  He has also been working on a big dead stump that is close to the back of the house.

This large tree was cut down right after we purchased the home.  because it had branches leaning on the power line and large dead branches over the house.  The tree was already half dead so the stump never resprouted and slowly started rotting away.  

Last year we hacked at it a couple of times and broke off large pieces.  This past weekend, R dug the dirt out from around the stump and then started using an axe to break it apart.  Then he started a fire with the broken off pieces and over the next two days we burned the stump down below ground level.

We also moved the two large planters with the Alberta spruces, from the back side of the deck to the large step we built last summer.  I need to give those shrubs some love this next summer because they have been neglected the last two years.  I originally purchased them for 2 bucks a piece and they were in 1/2 gallon containers. Oh my have they grown.

They have some bare spots and I think I will plant some petunias around the bottom of the spruces to fill in the area around the bottom.  The planters are from Mayne and can be bought at both Home Depot and Lowes.  We also have a Mayne mailbox post and love it, too.

This is one of the two doors that will replace that ugly slider.  Both doors have been stripped and sanded once.  I will sand once more before they are installed and painted.

I'm not sure yet what kind of door handles and lock sets that I will buy.  I know they will be black like all the vintage door handles on the rest of the doors.  We will make another two sets of faux hand hammered door straps like the ones we made for the garden  shed.

There has been very little snow this winter.  Go figure.  We purchased a newer truck and plow and as soon as we drove away the snow melted and the temps rose.....LOL  So the plow has set there, ready to plow.  

Notice the large tree behind the truck/plow.  It is starting to bud out.  That's not good because if we have a severe dip in temps the buds will be damaged.

It's that time of the year and I recently received my quarterly check from Ebates.  It was larger than usual because I did all my Christmas shopping online and used the Ebates option whenever possible.

My total rebate so far is over $630.00.  Not too bad for basically just going to Ebates and clicking on the store name and then buying as usual.

We are currently under a thunderstorm watch and there is a possibility of 2-5 inches of snow depending on if the warm front stays to the south.  R may get to use that plow after all.

Reuse Repurpose Recycle