Daffodils, Trash, And Old Electronics

I finally got about 3/4 of the daffodils planted.  I have a front yard island bed surrounding the Saucer Magnolia tree and a 3' boulder I had delivered in 2006.  I've tried several different kinds of deer-resistant plants there before (astilbe, ferns) but grasses always grew too high for them.

So last Spring, I bought a couple of bucketloads of topsoil/compost mix.  The idea was to lay down large strips of packing paper and cover it with the mix to smother the grasses.  And then in the Fall, plant daffodils and transplant existing Japanese Painted Ferns.

Well, right after I bought the soil and ordered the daffodils (and some crocuses and hyacinths) with right hip went bad for months.  I couldn't lay down the paper, and so I couldn't shovel the soil onto any.  But I was finally ready to do that in November.  Then it turned cold and wet, so OK, "next week".

"Next week" turned into December.  I finally decided I had to do it regardless of weather, so I bundled up in layers and started drilling bulb holes.  I did about half the daffodils around the tree and then 1.4 around the outside edge of the bed.  That leaves a gap between them where I will transplant the ferns next Spring when they emerge and I can see where the daffodils are.

That leaves some 1/4 of the daffodils and the crocuses and hyacinths.  I'll try to plant the remaining daffodils in some large plastic tubs I have and then retrieve them after they go dormant next June.  The  crocuses and hyacinths will just have to get planted "here there, and everywhere" as weather allows.

The voles will get the crocus and hyacinth bulbs "eventually", but I should get a few good years from them.

At least I will have done the best I could given the hip problem.  The other good news is that the trailer is finally empty and washed clean from one hard rain last week.  Because I have some real junk to haul to the landfill and recycling center.  Two really ruined old (formerly beloved) swivel/rocker chairs from 1990, a non-functional wet.dry vacuum, etc.  

Plus, I have decades worth of old electronics filling up closets and it is time to recycle them.  And 30 year old boat batteries.  In other words, it is time to empty the garage of ancient junk.  I can barely park the car in there these days, much less get out of it!

With the time-required planting mostly out of the way, it is time to attend to the garage and basement.

Declutterring

 I am recycling, trashing, and selling a lot of stuff.  And considering setting up a table in the front yard for "you want it, take it, its free".  I have saved "possibly useful", "didn't know what to do with", and old electronics for too long.  

Some of the stuff will go on Craigs's List.  I don't need the few dollars, but sometimes someone wants a cheap "something" and it beats paying to haul it to the landfill to get rid of it.  I'll nearly give those away just to save me some effort.

I have too much old computer junk.  Who needs an old joystick? And I have a 15 year old windows computer in the closet.  I'll remove the hard drive of course.    Same with an old  desktop Mac and 2 previous Mac Minis. 

If someone wants four 8'x3" cardboard shipping tubes, they are welcome to them.

And there are stupid things of no value but were gifts I didn't dare through away.  The gifters are all deceased now.  I can give them away.

A front yard "free" table should take care of most things.  Craig's list should take care of most moderately valuable items.  Recycling (or trash) will take of the rest.  

And I have clothes that don't fit but are in good condition (and I just washed them).  I hope Goodwill will accept them.  Got a half a closet back doing that.

I'm not a hoarder, but sometimes stuff accumulates.  I'm taking care of that.