We've spent a couple of Saturdays, and I attempted a couple of sunny weekdays, to get "ready" for winter outdoors:
The garden is cleaned up and covered with leaves, but the rhodos still need to be wrapped. I discovered that the leaves, where the branches were covered up last winter, resisted the freeze-drying much better. The toys have been put away. The chairs are in the basement, but the bench and double-rocker will have to stay out. The birdbaths are empty, cleaned and resting on their edges against a tree. The bulbs are in the ground, but a squirrel may have dug some up already, hence the bone meal being spread on top. I've attempted to pick up most of the extra stuff lying around. And the recycling bins are full enough to take to the dump again. But the garden hoses still need to be put somewhere, and there's a scooter out in the back yard. And the pails with the peonies that got dug up and never re-planted need to be deposited somewhere.
There's always a lot to do before freeze-up, and around here, there's always a lot more that can be done. During warmer days, there's a lot of activity with a lot of stuff left to be picked up "later", resulting in junk waiting for the ride to the dump.
However, this place is looking a lot tidier than it has in a long time! (a large part due to the efforts of our boys this past summer!)
BUT- are we ready for winter? With a major item of cutting wood for the outdoor furnace, NO, we're not ready. And I looked for my snow brush and ice-scraper unsuccessfully, and the snow shovels still have to come out of hiding.
BUT- ready to cocoon with indoor and Christmas projects, YES -bring on winter!!
