Ahhh. Winter. Maybe?

I've finally finished all my yardwork to get ready for winter... or as much as I can until it freezes for good. At some point I'll have to cut back and bury the *#&$*# roses but everything else is pretty much taken care of.

I feel like my neighbors finally know me as a responsible homeowner. I've spent the last throws of summer buying/unpacking/painting inside so they haven't gotten much of a flavor of what I am doing with the house. I pretty much neglected the outside tasks because I finally got into my house in September. I took it for granted that snow was right around the corner.

It wasn't. I've spent chilly and damp weekend days clearing out weeds, trying to mow the lawn, planting bulbs, tending to inhereted roses (I HATE roses) and clearing out the garbage that was left behind. I have, though, collected four tomato cages and some cracked planters. And I did get a compost cage up - ready for kitchen waste!!!

I have finally given up on my futile attempt at mowing the lawn. It's mainly quick growing crab grass and just about killed me and the new lawn mower I bought after 4 futile attempts of mowing the lawn with the old mower.

I LOVE working in the yard. It's like mediatation. You go to this place in your head where everything is clear and leaves you, not exhausted, but centered. I cannot wait to put fences and gardens up next spring. My neighbors don't know what's coming.

The only thing I dislike about working in the yard is that I feel like I'm on stage. I know that I'm literally the new kid on the block... but I feel like anything that I do is noted and discussed. Like my ongoing war with the lawn or my Halloween decorations. I guess getting used to a community will just take a little time. : )