Fall cleanup

Hello and good morning.

Well, today is the last day of working in the yard doing fall cleanup, raking leaves out of the beds, spreading 3 cubic yards of compost, and planting a tree and two shrubs.  I believe 3 cubic yards is at least half a ton.  At least that's what it looks and feels like.  This is what it looks like when blocking my driveway.

I had already shoveled two wheelbarrow loads by then, so, using your imagination, just add a bit more to the pile.  Each one of those purple buckets (known as a "tub trug") holds six shovels full.  My wheelbarrow holds four of the trugs, so 24 shovels full.  That's a lot of compost.  And my legs, back and arms are reminding me of same.  But the end result will be worth it when my soil is that much finer and healthier in spring.

It's a deep wheelbarrow.

Some of the beds look a little bare and naked, but that's because I've trimmed back the shrubs.  I say "trimmed" when actually I gave them a scalping haircut.  (The roses fought hard, but I won in the end.)  And some of the beds are just plain soil that I'm trying to turn into what's known in the gardening world as "chocolate cake."  North Texas soil is rock hard clay and it takes an enormous effort to turn it into "cake."  Some of my beds are there, and some have a way to go.

A few pansies for a spot of winter color in the backyard.  They're starting to bloom, finally.  These are NOT the main focal point. I planted 262 of these things.  In two days.  The color to the left are mums and the last, diehard marigolds.

Today was quite nippy, so I wore several layers, including socks with my gardening shoes.  Speaking of which...

Aren't they just darlin'?  Yellow with little red ladybugs.  And that is the only picture of the head gardener that I'll share.  Gardening is dirty, messy work, not for wearing makeup and pretty polished nails.  Only in movies.

That was my day Monday, yesterday and part of today, after which I'll be finished for the winter and can play in my craft room again.  Oh wait, I need to start putting up Christmas decorations.  DRAT!  At least that won't exhaust me and I'll still be able to make and post pics of my cards again.

Here's to you and your happy place, whether it be a garden, craft room, or in bed with a good book.

Happy crafting!  (And gardening.)