The Great Garden Shed Clean-up

In a month as notoriously gray as February, I click through old photos on my computer of past garden seasons attempting to whet my insatiable appetite for the season in which I was born. Regardless of what the calendar says, March 1 is the ceremonial beginning of spring in my mind. The wool overcoat heads for the closet, the sunglasses come out, and my mind shifts gears with hopes that the weather and everyone else will cooperate.

But while I'm still dreaming, I thought it might be fun to share something of an annual tradition in our garden, the Great Garden Shed Clean-up. It usually happens around the first of June. The photos here are from the 2008 event. Over the years it's taken on a variety of forms, from all-family event to solo performance. 2008 was a solo year for yours truly.

I'm sure many of you have a similar shed, packed to the brim with things that you absolutely need, tools you always use, and mysterious treasures that couldn't possibly be yours. Luckily I've got three other family members to blame those on. But I'll confess, most of the junk that accumulates in our dear old shed each season comes from dear old Kelly's projects. Antique garden implements. Pots, pots, pots. Rakes and shovels and trowels and hoes and buckets and strange "thingys". So without further adieu, I present in pictures (with appropriate captions) the Great Garden Shed Clean-up.

Before: No, this shot has not been stylized for this photo shoot. Large crates and superfluous boxes removed prior to taking photo to evidence size of shed and depth of junk.

During #1: Note number of participants, size of mess, and required dump truck.

During #2: I live by the motto "He who dies with the most pots, wins!"

During #3: Note newcomer at very right and bare shelves (progress).

After: You might keep too much stuff if you need a dump truck to haul it away.