It's been almost five months since my family up and moved from Portland to Columbus, Ohio, and while it hasn't been an easy transition, I am feeling hopeful. Things are looking up. We just bought a house and will move out of this small rental in a couple of weeks. Plus, spring has sprung! The robins and the cardinals are singing a happy tune, the squirrels are mating like rabbits, and those rainy skies will clear one of these days (I'm talking to you, Portland.) A few things I'm looking forward to:
Mowing the lawn. This is a new concept for us, since our Portland yard was mostly on a slope, and our bit of patchy grass could be cut with an electric weed wacker. Now we have an expanse of lawn to upkeep (and, sadly, the front-yard vegetable gardening movement hasn't yet reached central Ohio). Enter the Toro E-Cycler battery-powered mower. It's quiet, it mulches, it recharges overnight. A mower we can feel OK about.
Tomatoes. On one side of our new garage I noticed some tomato cages still standing from last summer. I wonder...I hope...will this be the summer I successfully grow a proper beefsteak? Oh please, oh please, oh please!
Composting. We haven't composted our food scraps since moving here, and I feel awful about it and can totally, completely sympathize with other renters (as well as condo and apartment dwellers) who don't have that option. Before we left Portland I bought an Earth Machine, and I can't wait to get it set up in our new yard. Welcome worms!
Walking and biking. We're in the flatlands now! One of the reasons we picked our neighborhood was its proximity to the library (4 blocks), grocery store (8 blocks), schools and community pool (8 blocks) and the network of sidewalks and quiet streets that can lead us to these hubs. I'm in the market for some grocery bag panniers for my bike!
What's on your to-do list for these warmer days ahead? Clothesline hanging? Gardening? Preserving? Spring clutter-busting? It all sounds good, doesn't it?
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