The first nice Saturday of the year ...

Today was the first nice Saturday of 2010 here in Wichita.

Now, let me quickly explain something, especially for my Florida friends. A "nice day" in the middle of winter in Kansas means that it was in the 40s, sunny, and the wind was less than 10mph. I know the true Floridians will shiver, but it was actually quite pleasant out if dressed appropriately - at least while it was in the upper 40s.

The nice day allowed me to _finally_ get out pick up all the limbs that broke out of the trees behind my house during the blizzard on Christmas Eve. For over two months, I've seen them dangling in the trees and covering the ground everytime I looked out my living room or bedroom windows. Most of them were really in the commons area behind my home, but still in my direct view. Every weekend, there's either been snow on the ground or it was too wet and cold to get out there and deal with them. So, today they were finally picked up.

In trying to pick them up, I realized that there were many smaller branches and large twigs that could not be easily picked up. I went after the rake. But, when I start raking them, I was also getting the leaves that fell after the last "clean up" mowing (and, actually, after the first snow of the year). So, the limb pick-up job expanded to also raking the back yard and part of the commons area.

Three and a half hours, one full trash can (that was empty when I started), four totally packed trash bags, and a bundle of larger limbs cut to size for pick later, my back yard looks great!

There's a reason that the bags were packed so tightly. I realized when the trash can was nearly full that I would have to use bags. When I went to get them, I only had three left. Hence, the reason for packing them as tightly as possible. When I filled the third one, I had to "borrow" one from something in the garage that was covered with it. Whew ... that got me finished without having to make a trip to the store.