Spring Cleaning With The Ginger Gang

running both a business and a household by yourself has it’s challenges…i’ll admit, most household chores continuously fall further and further down the ‘to do’ list.

case in point: the backyard.

i hadn’t finished raking up the leaves in the fall before the snow came. now that it’s all melted, i have quite the eyesore of a yard. every inch is covered with crusty brown leaves, not to mention major debris from the trees as well as some bones, a few brown bombs, some dead toys and a basketball (which i have no idea where it came from).

it was a gorgeous day yesterday (the official first day of Spring), so i took the crew out in the yard and began the big cleanup.

Tichka and LD were all frisky, as they romped and played and wrestled with each other. Cameron was the happiest cat ever, being allowed outside for her first unsupervised romp since the fall (although she pleaded with me all winter to let her out). she stretched out in her favourite place to hang…the kitchen roof (no, i’m not kidding…check out at the photos).

i kept Archie inside for most part and he sat quietly and patiently at the patio door. i eventually let him out and he enjoyed sniffing and exploring everything. i got a little choked up seeing them all together outside for the first time. i am so excited for lazy summer Sundays, lounging in the long grass, picnics, barbecues…(sigh).

during ‘Spring Cleanup Phase One’, i manged to fill four paper yard bags before i called it a day. i have to say, i find breaking sticks with my knee extremely therapeutic. “take THAT, stick! HA”

there is still more work to do…but it was a good start. i have big plans for the yard this year…perhaps i will actually plant something in the vegetable garden? maybe some flowers? potted plants? ah…who am i kidding? i think i should just hire a lawn boy!

(p.s. i am very happy to finally feature Miss Cameron in a post…sometimes i feel she’s a bit neglected.)

My crew: three outside and one in. The dogs obviously didn’t care about the barren wasteland around them…they had fun all the same.

Sir Archie sits patiently inside and doles out the waste bags. “You may have this one.”

“Please momma, let me outside.”

“But Cameron gets to go out…so not fair!”

Cameron makes her ascent to her favourite lounging spot.

She loves to chirp and mew at me from atop her throne of power.

She freaks me out a bit when she rubs herself on the shed roof edge.

“I’m the Queen of the Castle!”

Aah, yes…there’s nothing quite like roof tiles to scratch that itch.

My pretty girl, all covered in leaves and twigs.

Oh, but she’s not done climbing yet… Can you spot her?

Yes, she’s finally in her happy place…the kitchen rooftop.

Archie finally comes out for his very first Spring adventure in the yard.

He checks out every nook and cranny.

Kitty cats on patrol.

The dogs give Archie a quick lesson in the bone domain off-limit areas.

It warmed my heart to see my gang hanging together outside on a beautiful spring day! Now if only they knew how to use a rake…