I really tried. I ventured out into my winter-burned, long-forsaken yard last weekend with every intention of sprucing it up. Trimming back the dead butterfly bushes. Raking up the Himalayan-sized mountains of leaves. But it’s sad, isn’t it? Even depressing? Spending a beautiful weekend trying to improve a brown, sickly-looking yard that resembles a Siberian waste dump. So if you’re like me — suffering from pre-spring yard depression — you need some tips to overcome those landscaping blues: • Don’t take the comments of neighbors personally when they say things like, “Boy … um … you really nailed the Colorado wildfire look!” Just shake it off. Maybe they mean it in a nice way. Like how a forgotten Gateway to Hell might actually appeal to some people. Besides, positive thinking will help you with great comeback lines. For instance, “Boy, your hair stylist really nailed my dead bougainvillea look!” • Recognize it’s not your fault. That’s half the battle. The other half the battle is recognizing it IS your fault. That your precious plants wouldn’t have burned in the freeze if you had covered them like your neighbors. Or if you had raked, say, once the entire winter. Or if you didn’t have a dog who runs through wood chips like a demon-possessed bull. Instead, put the blame where it’s due: global warming or Southern pine beetles or Yankees. The more irrational and absurd, the better you’ll feel. • Do some yoga or mediation (maybe acupuncture) before you try to … Continue reading Overcoming pre-spring yard depression