Spring has quasi-sprouted That means I’m headed outdoors to work on gardens and lawns. By the time you read this I have mowed my lawn four times, put on Spring treatments and attacked the gardens.

This year I have replaced one entire garden, planted many new flowers etc. On top of that I have, or I am in the process of, putting in three skids (150 bags) of rubber mulch.

One electric lawn mower has been replaced (factory warranty problem) and blades on the electric tractor have been sharpened.

Several new tools have been added to the garden arsenal with further reach and uses. I have been quasi-banned from ladders due to age and stableness.

Daughter-in-law Christy thinks I am jumping the gun with early plantings, but weather or not, I am charging ahead.

Yes, I will be cautious and watch reports, but I am secured in my knowledge of nature. No, I am not planting annuals ahead of time and yes, perennials are covered in  mulch etc.

New additions of solar lights have been arranged and yes, you can probably see my yard from space.

The in-ground pool needs a new liner and, in the upcoming weeks, this task will be completed. Pool chemicals and covers are in place and pool weather is around the corner. Damn grandkids better use the pool!

In addition to all the mulch, a mere 25 bags of topsoil has been worked into an old garden.

Garden gloves by the score are used on a daily basis and yes, much hand digging and smoothing is done without gloves.

Yes, I take two showers per day and use Lava soap to scrub hands and nails.

I decided after reading/studying native and not-so-native plants, that a pure menagerie will suffice. After planting, please do not ask me what particular bloom is sprouting here or there. I have really forgotten who is who and where is where.

Basically I have no train of thought in filling spots, but go with the whim, artistic process.

The same went for bulb placement. I ordered mucho bulbs, but again spread and planted them in no particular fashion.

Of course, all this planting is in between numerous plants planted pre- and post- Ron arrival and those moved over the years.

When we took possession of land/garden Holdraker, there was already a mish-mash of flowers, including those dreaded roadside orange daylilies that sprouted just about everywhere. The roots of said daylilies spread like wildfire and extreme digging by this almost 75 year-old body is indeed painful.

Along with digging and hand pulling this garden menace was mostly thwarted invading plants. That someone decades ago thought orange daylilies would be nice and spot filling blows my mind (and body).

Last season I brought in 36+ yards of topsoil to change the level and flow of the backyard, planted new grass and this was quasi-successful in a very shady backyard.  

The big problem for this aching body is the steep hill in the front yard. Before, I had a lawn service to handle the beast, but alas, he has retired this year. The slope is so severe that even this daredevil of a lawn tractor driver will only go so far.

I am now debating replacing the lawn on the slope with either plants, bushes, rocks, whatever to avoid the potential accident. Anyone with suggestions?  I received two estimates last year and both came in at about $4000. Currently I am mowing the sucker with a power driven lawn mower going up and down very carefully, followed by hours of body recovery. 

Although I am more of a perennial flower guy over  an ‘annual’ flower kind of guy, I bowed to Wife Patti’s desire for instant colors in some spots in two of the gardens.

Yes, this week I intend to also spread those around in the gardens...weather, or not!....time will tell...