A Handful of Chores

It was threatening rain this morning, but still sunny, so I got out and did some things that were ready for doing.

My first task was to put a longer dog-proof fence around the side bed, because the dogs are wearing a track along the back where they like to romp, and also I want to put more plants in there.

I actually bought this fencing months ago, and this is the first time I've gotten around to putting it up. I still need to remove the old anti-romping measures, but this is pretty good. Mostly it keeps them from running around the back. Maybe the amaryllis will bloom next year if I keep them from being stomped.

Anti-dog fencing

My next task was to plant the spring bulbs I had in the crisper. There was a low spot in this bed, so I laid the bulbs out and poured compost over them. I find that works better than bulb food, and the dogs don't spend days licking at it like they do with bulb food. Yeah, I don't get it either.

(Isn't my volunteer sunflower looking nice?)

Spring bulbs

Then I cleaned up a bit, but not enough, so no photo. We had that huge pile of concrete sacks that didn't fit in the recycling bin, and then it rained and they all sort of flopped around. Getting wet meant more of them fit in the bin, though. So one more trash day before that is all cleaned up.

I also put the bits of broken glass and nails that I've been collecting in bins around the garden into the recycling. That always feels virtuous.

And some weeding, but not much because it was cold and wet and I don't care for weeding in those conditions.

Then on to the dreaded task, renailing some of the tar paper that came down in the wind. This time with flanged roofing nails, which did a nice job. I think the paper would have stayed up better had we stapled the bottom; when I nailed the top it was still blowing around, but I nailed the bottom and it lay dead still against the wall. A large section came down and was soaked, so I have to wait until it and the wall dry out before making it right again.

Roofing nails