It finally was warm AND I had time! Well, it also helped that I downed a pot of coffee. Yeah, being wired on caffeine can really help you get things done.
I cleaned up some of the sunflower plants that had been knocked down. I like to leave the sunflowers up during the winter for the birds, plus they look real nice in the snow. I just took down the really messy looking ones.
I also cleaned up all the gourd vines. I had not even realized how far those vines had gotten. I still have to get out there and pick up all the gourds that were left behind. There has to be about fifty pounds of the buggers.
I put a few insulating cones on some of the plants that I am a little concerned about, like my hibiscus and the Astilboides tabularis. I still have to cover my roses, but amazingly enough, they are still quite green and thriving. My white rose still has a couple of flowers on it! It seems a shame to cut them back when they seem to be enjoying themselves so much.
I also finally got my shed organized so that all the stuff that I have to pack away for the winter will actually fit in there. I have a loft in the shed that I have never taken full advantage of, and today I was able to pack it nearly full leaving the main floor very spacious. But even with all the stuff in the loft, I still have room for all the camping stuff that I still have to pack away.
When we got the house, my neighbors and our insurance company tried to convince us to tear the shed down. I loved the rustic look of the little shed and I knew that we could use all the extra storage that we could get. Besides, every gardener needs a garden shed. They did have a point in wanting it gone. The roof was rotten and caving in and the whole thing was leaning out into the alley. But we took care of all that. We reinforced the frame and re-roofed the whole thing. It is now a sturdy little work horse for my garden. Isn't it cute? (Oh, BTW, this is a picture from earlier in the season. I forgot to take pictures today.)
Here is the main floor all tidy with plenty of room for more stuff. This is the first winter that we could actually walk into the shed! Usually we have to climb over stuff. (As an aside, a ground hog has dug a home under the floor boards of this shed. It comes back every summer. I love having it around because it really likes to eat the weeds in my garden and it scares away the neighborhood cats. And a few neighbors, as well!)
Here you can see the loft area. Notice the particle board? This roof was literally caving in. In fact right above the access hole, there had been a HUGE hole in the roof; so we had to re-roof. They put the loft access hole in just the right spot. The windows are right there, so having the hole there lets in a lot of light to the whole shed. This shed doesn't have electricity hookup - so we need the natural light.
And here is the loft. We had stored some extra lumber and our sleds up here, but there was so much space, I had to take advantage of it. I just wonder why I had waited so long! Notice the rustic lumber. This shed was built when they were still using square nails! Tear it down? No Way! It's an antique!!
