(2) Hay Bale Gardening - Update

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I've spent a week and a half dutifully adding fertilizer to my hay bales and enjoying being able to let the rain do most of the watering. A couple days ago, I piled on potting soil and watered it in well.  Sure enough, with a hand over the soil, you can feel the radiating heat...that's supposed to be a good thing.

The 2 bales with the hay stalks standing upright are nice and tidy looking. where the bale with the stalks running parallel to the ground looks a bit ragged though it does have a wider planting surface.

  .Today I cleared the rest of the little 8' x 8' garden area, put down more weed barrier and added a great deal more mulch.  I'm using the "no-float" cypress mulch which costs a few cents under $2 a bag.

I feel quite accomplished in being able to say that I actually weeded the onions and garlic, which are returning from last year...

 and it looks like the lavender is willing to keep on growing.

So, I rinsed off the sidewalk and watered the bales and sprinkled the new mulch, thoroughly enjoying the drips that were leaking into my garden clogs and cooling my feet on this sunny, productive day.  
The change to daylight savings time had lowered the sun more than the clock said it should and the shadows from the remainder of the pergola quickly walked across my work.  

But, there in the remaining bright sun, stood my little potting bench complaining of its winters neglect.  I thought to myself, "I'll re-stain it this week". but the dread reality that the entire deck is due a re-coating crossed my mind and dampened my spirits for a moment.  Then I noticed the Weeping Willow tree waiting to be planted.  That reminded me of the two rose bushes waiting by the front porch for the same thing.  Suddenly I felt tired and wondered for a moment why spring is always my favorite time of year.  Then I remembered that I am so thankful for the sheer ability to deal with the list of things that need to be done.  It may take me longer and the periods of rest between chores may be more frequent but the sun still feels warm on my shoulders and reminds me of spring as a child.  It's just a good and hopeful and energized time of year and  the buds on the dogwood are bigger each day and when they bloom, my entire world becomes a wonderland.