I spent a couple of hours this morning doing some much needed yardwork. The early spring is a tempting time to dig and plant things in my flowerbeds, but I know all too well that we can have a hard frost in early May. So instead it’s time to do the mundane and more “boring” tasks of pruning, raking and cleaning out debris.

Here and there, I do see signs of life in the yard. The bulbs are starting to sprout and the butterfly bushes are looking like they are ready to grow. And here and there, bigs of last year’s blooms are still hanging around.

Once construction started last fall and I couldn’t get in the yard to do my garden maintenance, a lot of things were left untouched that should have been. Oh, the major things got done — blowing out leaves and throwing away the long-dead annuals. But I didn’t find a way to do much in the way of preparing for spring growth.

It struck me as I worked that I can see the fruit of last year’s growth affecting this year’s potential. And where I left weeds, choking ivy vines and dead-headed plants, there will be less, without a doubt. I can do some severe corrections in growth, cutting things WAY back and helping the plants start over. But I’d see more long-term, steady, healthy growth if I were a more disciplined gardener.

The carry-over of this gardening into my Lenten prayers and study is more than a little obvious…