Spring!

(I'm at school today, that's why I have so much time to write! :))
I finally got out in my yard on Tuesday. It was one of the perfect Midwest spring days. (Is there such a thing?) It was 70+ and NO WIND. So I trimmed all the dead old growth off the plants, got the backyard gardens cleaned up and part of the front yard. I think I lost another chysanthemum to the cold winter, but two of them survived. Do I cut the butterfly bush all the way down, anyone know? I don't know if I'm terribly out of shape or if it is something else, but everytime I rake, by evening my left arm aches like crazy. I could hardly sleep it hurt so bad. Makes me not want to rake! I still have leaves to get out of the tree gardens in both the back yard and the front.
We're getting our willow tree cut down, too. It is old and has lots of dead branches. The power company trimmed it back this winter and it looks absolutely terrible. It has been a good shade tree, but Den is afraid a big branch will blow out in some storm this summer. And also with the tree going down now, we'll be able to do some landscaping back there this summer. We'll see how it goes. Will would like a hot tub.....
Tuesday I also went to the school track meet at Ft. Calhoun. I love going up there because it is one of those country towns and it has my name! The throwing fields are right next to a farm with a big white farmhouse and a big red barn. So picturesque! Andrew came up, too, and cheered on his "students" that he coaches. It is also fun to catch up with other moms that I don't see very much anymore.