Sam was starting to sound like a grouchy gremlin, so I took him outside. Nine giant garbage bags of leaves awaited us.

We spread them out nice and thick on the garden, a winter mulch to keep the weeds down. I planted some anonymous bulbs that were lying around-hope they're something cool... Then it was time for Sams favorite garden task-clipping.

I made good use of my shiney new x-mas pruners(thanks, Jess n' Josh!) as we trimmed the herb bed of all its dead stalks and took all the gnarly old tomato vines off the trellis. It was a nice way to spend a cold afternoon.

Now when I do the dishes I can look out the kitchen window at the sweetly tucked in garden beds and dream of spring planting...

Sam's a good little helper.