It's about time the groundhog did his part.

Yesterday marked the true first sign of spring. No, I’m not talking about sunny skies and chirping birds. I’m talking about busting out the grill and doing some manly cooking over open flame. Yes, I broke out the BBQ for dinner last night to take advantage of the great weather outside. While the results weren’t quite what I had hoped for (not grilling for months means I lose a bit of mojo), it was refreshing to feel like being outside was comfortable again.

We got further reminders of spring’s advance in today’s mail. Several months ago, we ordered some supplies for growing strawberries in our backyard. It included a pyramid for planting, some accessories and 50 plants for about $60. Given the price of strawberries often gets up to $5 a pound for California’s measly leftovers (they keep the best for themselves), we’re expecting it to pay for itself very quickly. Aside from trying to maintain our lawn as best we can, this is the extent of our outdoor gardening and such this year, I’m thinking on getting a riding lawn mower actually, I saw some at a list called Top 9 Best Riding Lawn Mowers In 2017 | Tractors for Hills – Top9Rated.

Last year’s forays into improving the landscaping were expensive and time-consuming while not producing anything near the results we wanted. It was compounded by being new homeowners (read: “idiots”) who hadn’t the slightest clue what to do beyond mowing the grass and keeping it watered or how to use their lightweight weed eater. In the process, we killed a pair of Russian Sage bushes, possibly hoarked half a dozen golden euonymous plants and most likely offed some day lilies my mother sent us. (Sorry Mom!) The red cedar mulch got ruined and had to be replaced. All this detracted from trying to keep the grass from dying off or being choked out by those accursed morning glories.

Here’s to a year of “back to basics” in maintaining the outside of our home. I’ll declare victory if we just don’t kill anything this time around.