Fall, Property Cleanup, 453 1/2 carrots and Advil

So, there comes that time every year when I realize:


1. Winter will be here soon (Grand deduction after we just had snow yesterday!)


2. There are still things needing to be done on the outside of the house


3. Procrastination is no longer an option


So, we all headed outside and:


Put gutter guards on the back porch gutter. 
We installed some heavy-duty chicken wire around the bottom third of the porch railing, hoping to discourage D.C. (one of our dogs) from ripping to shreds the plastic we used to enclose the porch with. Supposedly clear plastic that, in reality, I know now that I will not be able to see my backyard until sometime in Spring, unless I take the trash out, which is often, or go into the backyard through the side fence for some not-known-right-now reason. Like the guy at Menards said, "It's all about priorities!" Well, I thought seeing my beautiful backyard WAS a priority, but not when compared to saving energy and money.
I moved piles of rubbish from previous yardworks and swept all hard surfaces and took all of it to the burn pile.
 I edged the concrete of the porch and patio. Thinking I would get a little done now, ahead in Spring.
Then I came up with the idea to use our worn out fake Christmas tree and place it in front of the air conditioner unit because although none of the permanently attached lights worked on it anymore, I felt the need to recycle it in some way!
I cleared the pond of leaves (futile efforts as it was!).
I rescued the neighbor's dog (Bear) from the evil intentions of our German Shepherd, and dragged moved a landscape timber from it's original location to what seemed like twenty miles West to the back end of the property fence and adjusted it so, hopefully, Bear wouldn't have access to try and dig her way to China via our yards!
Then, while my husband and boys went and raked leaves in the front yard, I went into the garden and took up all of the row markers, bamboo stakes (which DID NOT hold up my tomato plants!), arched green fencing panels (that DID a good job for my Sugar Snap Pea plants) and my little white tabs I used to mark where I planted late season seeds that never came up.Dang that frost!
 I rolled up the soaker hose, a huge feat in itself, and then the regular garden hose and pulled up all of the bamboo stakes that I used to support green beans (did pretty good at first until the plants got huge!).
Then, and this was the last item to do before it got any colder/darker....I sat down and pulled up over 13  21(!) pounds of carrots! Yes, I actually weighed them! (My husband wanted everything out of the garden so he could roto-till.) Guess I know what I'll be doing Sunday! I still have some quart sized canning jars I can use if I decide to can them instead of freezing them! 
Needless to say, but I am going to say it anyway, I came in while the men were still working, 'cause I figure I will still be working making supper when they come in and sit down for the rest of the night and I wanted to be with them! So I popped a few Advil and made spaghetti with garlic sticks made out of slathering hot dog buns with butter and sprinkling with garlic powder and lightly browned in the oven. It was quick and yummy!
My son is sitting next to me frustrated that he can't get a splinter out of his skin between his thumb and index finger. But he doesn't want ME to do it, either!
Well, I am completely and thoroughly exhausted and it's time for sleep!


P.S. I got the splinter out.....yay!


Next year's garden is going to be even better!