Spring time finally approaches

There are several signs that Springtime is finally approaching:

• Spotted my first robin in the yard
• Drina has switched from snow to grass for rolling (well more mud and debris, than grass).
• We can see/use all of the back steps and the picnic table is accessible again.
• The beard is gone.

Unfortunately, the one sign I'm looking forward to most is not yet to be: The garden is not accessible. One bed is still under a foot plus of snow and two others have a generous layer (including the garlic bed). The strawberry bed is finally exposed, though thankfully nicely tucked in under a good layer of straw mulch. Just spots of snow remain in the two large beds.

Plans for this year are starting to pick up, while tasks and chores from last year and the winter are still pestering me.

• There's at least two cords of wood on the ground that needs to be cut, stacked and split.
• Yard clean up last year was barely done.
• Clean up the random piles of crap the previous owner left lying around.
• Break down and clean up the five fire pits the previous owner built.
• Clean up the scraps from the wood delivery.
• Thin out the saplings, shrubs and weeds from the edges of the yard.
  
• Interior projects from last year left undone: including re-assembling the spare bedroom; putting shelves in the upstairs closet; finishing the ceiling in the master bed; putting up the new fan in the master bed; organize the basement.
  

Projects for this year:

• Clear space for the hoop house - including taking down at least five sizable trees; two probably requiring a professional.
  
• Cut, split and stack wood for next year. Goal: six cords.
  
• Repair deck from winter damage. Paint exposed parts of the deck with leftover paint
  
• Build at least four new garden beds, probably more along the lines of six.
• Build low tunnels for two of the new beds plus removable tunnels for the two big beds.
• Re-build the diamond shaped bed to be square or rectangular.
  
• Move the Arborvitae (well, we think that's what it is).
• Clean up and re-mulch the flower beds.
  
• Remove the lean-to.
• Clean out the two remaining sheds.
• Build a proper, safe fire pit.

I feel like this entry is becoming just another list.

All these things I want to do leave me with the questions: when am I going to find time and how am I going to pay for this stuff?

Not to needlessly pile on stuff, but I also need to put together a final sugaring post. That'll go on 'things to do tomorrow' list.

• Empty sap buckets
• Pull taps
• Split wood for final boil
• Clean boiling pans
• Write final 2011 sugaring post
  

Jenn will like this post, its full of lists.