Pruning

I've read that February is a good time to do pruning of many of the bushes we have. And they really needed it.  Last weekend we had a beautiful day; a taste of spring in the air!  A great day to get out to prune, rather than some cold, nasty day like we will have this coming weekend.

 Lots of dead branches and ones that were not in the right places.  Snip, snip!

We got rid of one bush altogether.

 Ready for burning.



It is the branch that bears the fruit, 
    that feels the           knife,
To prune it for a larger growth,
    a fuller life.

Going to the brush pile, the geese who were lazily floating on the water took off at the sound of the truck.

 

 Al gave us a ride in the back of the pickup until we got back to the highway.

Now that the out-of-control rose bushes have been pruned back, 

we can once again see the rocker bench!

 Look at these silly girls without jackets!  A reminder of the nice warm day - this is February!  But this weekend it will be single digits again as a polar vortex comes through Kansas.

 Papa gave Claire a little ride in the back of the pick up too.  She wasn't too sure about that!

                                                                
                                                                     

Rejoice, though each desire, each dream 
               Each hope of thine
Will fall and fade; it is the hand 
         Of Love Divine

That holds the knife, that cuts and breaks
                  With tenderest touch,
That you, whose life has borne some fruit,
              Might now bear much.
                                      Annie Johnson Flint