Spring's Alarm Clock

What is it about the approaching arrival of Spring that makes us want to clean and organize and fluff and freshen and redecorate? I don't know about you, but it's as if I have an internal "Spring's coming!" alarm clock that, without fail, goes off this time of year inspiring me to do most, if not all, of those things. The weatherman says it's going to be partly cloudy today, with a high around 70, and I plan to release some of that energy and inspiration by spending the morning in our yard fluffing (pine straw), trimming (some of the smaller plants), picking up leaves in the flower beds, and planting Hollyhock seeds my mama gave me back in the Fall. I hope one day they will look like hers, which were grown from some seeds I gave her that were given to me by a sweet lady in Jefferson, Texas, whose beautiful Hollyhocks I admired. I love "pass-along" plants, don't you! Here are a few "before" pictures I captured of our courtyard and waterfall. As you can tell, all that ornamental grass definitely needs some attention. Poor Harry the Heron and the waterfall are almost hidden. And I was afraid to sit in the chair in this next picture all winter for fear the grass would cover me up, too! Hopefully, I won't be too tired from all my fluffin' and freshenin' to take some "after" pictures when I finish.