Spring Fever

We have had some really nice weekends here and we have largely spent them working on the garden and yard.  Since this big old garden did not get a "wintering over" job we have been avidly working to get it in shape to plant this spring.  It has been SO much fun to be out in nice weather together just working away.  Something about yard and garden work is just so satisfying.  Maybe it is the instant gratification of seeing direct results, maybe it is the nice change up of using your hands (let's face it whole body really) to work and create, maybe it is just the exhilaration felt in the warm sun after months of cold winter, or maybe it is all three.  We thought we would show you a few "before shots" as we begin our work so that the full effect of the spring, summer, and fall shots will be as gratifying to you as it will be to us. 

 Isla passes the time basking in the sun on the picnic blanket with toys

 The right half of the garden

 Can you see the faint stack of tomato wire stands that we pulled out of the garden and cleaned off?

 Piles of leaves that we raked out from just the lining of the yard alone.  We chopped them up and they are starting a good compost pile for us.

 To the left you can see where we pulled the wire tomato stands out of.  In the back are the overgrown sage and cilantro among and astounding assortment of other random plants.  This picture is taken even after we have already pulled a lot out of the beds.

 Our near football sized carrots that we found in the ground.  I realize now this picture does not do justice to their size.  I'll see if I can find something to provide a comparison shot.  

Isla's head is smaller than these puppies.

One of two wheel barrows full of parsnips that we pulled out.