Spring has sprung. May 1 is the last date this area expects a hard frost, and my yard work is in full swing. Yesterday began the carefully choreographed parade of contractors that starts with the call to mark the buried utility lines in the yard. Next on the agenda is the sprinkler system turn on, winter damage assessment, and flagging the sprinkler heads.

Thursday’s schedule involves planting two new trees. The Black Tupelo in the front yard replaces the canker-infested Blue Spruce we removed in February. I selected a Bald Cypress and a handful of Red Twig Dogwood shrubs to create an attractive accent against the white fence in the backyard. They will help control the standing water that pools along the fence line during wet weather.

The big event is Friday and Saturday. Weeping pine sap from the Blue Spruce killed the front lawn and left the soil too acidic for a successful reseeding. The crew will remove the dead grass, backfill with new soil, level the area, and lay new sod. They will also redefine the existing garden beds, and establish new layouts around the fresh plantings, then top-dress with mulch.

I’m also power washing the house and fence, adding new perennials to freshen the curb appeal, and in a few weeks, when the weather is warmer, setting out tomatoes, basil, peppers, and perhaps a few other vegetables in my garden plot. Even with the added activity, I haven’t forgotten my focus.

No matter the challenges and the obstacles blocking my way, I maintain the item at the top of my list as a non-negotiable. Yesterday I wrote 389 words.

Did you write yesterday?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer