{exterior winter cleanup}

With melting snow and a warming sun, I feel like I’ve received a new lease on life! This was a tough and long winter, and I’m itching to be done with the cold, the snow and the dark evenings. But as I’m inspecting the perimeters of my house, I’m finding that winter left behind some wounds that are tough to hide with only a few ceramic flower containers.

So, as I do every spring, I bring out my basic checklist to help me stay on track as I tackle a few maintenance projects in the yard. I start with windows and screens (doesn’t it feel good to have the windows open again?). I remove all screens and lay them on the driveway and spray them with water from the hose and use an all-purpose cleaner to get rid of whatever is left. I let them dry while I clean the windows (inside and outside) and windowsills.