Long Point - spring chores 2015

I spent a bit of time in Toronto last week and watched people there doing their spring chores; sweeping the paths and driveways of winters grime, raking the lawns, refreshing the flower beds, washing cars and garden furniture. Here, in Norfolk County, all those things need to be done too but  farmers have additional spring chores. It is lovely driving down my regular routes (to Port Dover or Simcoe) and seeing tractors in the fields, turning over the soil. Even sandy soil is a richer colour when tilled and there is a distinctive smell to fresh turned soil. And yes, there is also the smell of freshly spread manure.
On Long Pint we have our own brand of spring chores:
Chris and Jason came down and took down the snow fence and most of the plywood boards.

Then all the sand that has accumulated over the winter is bulldozed back onto the beach.

Some people opt to leave these high banks of sand

Others choose to leave an area un-bulldozed and gradually it grows grasses and
naturalizes.

My bulldozing and that of my neighbour were completed within the deadline but we
still have this charming lawn ornament.

After the bulldozing I put up a privacy fence.

Heather and Don kindly helped me this year.

Rasta rather enjoyed Don's housecoat arms.

Greg taught me how to change a kitchen faucet and also  replaced my porch light.
Aimee helped me hang up the swallows, that I bought in France, on the chimney wall.

Similar to the swallows swooping around outside and fighting over the nesting boxes. That was
another spring chore; putting up the 3 new birdhouses I got for Christmas.

Pansies planted in pots on the porch posts. Try saying that fast!

One of the vegetable beds uncovered and today I planted chard, kale and lettuce.

And Rasta is, of course, helpful in oh so many ways:

Wool? What wool?

I really don't know what wool your talking about.

Why would she put it here if it doesn't go anywhere?

!?