much mulch

I am getting serious about yard work

     I wanted to get serious this week, but it has not been weather in which I like to work outside.
     Cold.  Rainy.  Misty.  Thunder.  Lightning.  You know, typical Illinois in April.
     So today I ordered mulch.  I need to mulch around my plants.  And trees.
     And I need to plant some plants.  Maybe next week I will be able to do that.
     I also have a tree that needs to be removed.  One of my sugar maples sadly is not coming back from the mold it developed last year.
     Now I am in a quandary.  I want to replace the tree.  But the plant clinic people told me once a tree gets this wilt, it will die.  My other sugar maple also had it, but I cut off the dead branches and it seems fine.
     So, If I put a tree in where the sick, now nearly dead, tree is, I have to move it at least 5 feet from the drip line to prevent the new tree from getting the wilt......that is, if it is a sugar maple.  But if my other tree gets sick and I have to replace it, it may be too crowded.  If I don't replace it, I am off balance.
     It's a tree lovers dilemma, I tell you!
     My first job is to get the tree removed.  Then I guess I will wait a couple of months before replanting.
     I never had a tree die before.  It's sad.
     As you may remember, I name my trees.  That's all well and good when they are doing well and growing straight and tall, but now?  I can say Name of Tree died, because it sounds like one of my family members died and that isn't good.
     Here's to good weather, good plants, good trees  and a good night's sleep.