The Devil Wears Wildflowers

May
22

This is a part of the yard I want to fence in, but since I haven’t been able to do it yet, I’m trying to keep it under control. It got high on me, and I’m working to get it all back down.
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There’s a creek here, so once it’s fenced in, the goats will have an area to graze that is fenced and has a creek.
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And it will keep them out of my garden, where they just ate all my hostas down to the ground. I’ve been letting them out of the barnyard to “help” me, but they aren’t very task-oriented.
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I have, at least, been able to keep the main parts of the yard around the house and studio down.
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On the upside, despite how difficult it is to mow the part of the yard that got out of control (the mower keeps clogging because the grass is so high), I’ve been oddly excited about my mowing efforts. I can already feel that I’m stronger and have more stamina. It’s all that uphill sideways mowing, not to mention the weedeating. There’s so much that has to be weedeated–entire areas (multiple) of the yard that are too steep for mowing–that I weedeat every single day. It’s a workout!

Things are mostly looking good, though.
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My neighbor came over the other day and said, “Weston must be helping you a lot. Your yard looks good.”

I said, “I did it all myself!”

“Really?”

I wasn’t sure he believed me. I told him Weston was in the Army in Oklahoma!

The first time the mower got clogged, I thought the mower was broken. Then it occurred to me to check underneath and I unclogged it. I felt very wise. I felt even smarter the time I figured out it was out of gas!

Don’t make fun of me. I’m a new mower.
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I’m getting there!





Comments

  1. Old Geezer says:

    Good for you! Last year I got off the riding mower for good and now mow my 1+ acres pushing a rotary. What with changing my eating habits and all I’m now some 50 pounds lighter then when we visited you.

    We junked the riding mower.

    Oh, by the way, looking at the Ft Sill web site and the tenant units listed, it’s not hard to guess what Weston’s MOS is likely to be. Best of luck to him! And congratulations to Morgan as well.

  2. joykenn says:

    Wow! The yard looks very nice. We’ll be sure not to arm wrestle you with your newly developed muscles from moving on the hill.

    I must say however that the last photo you took looking through wildflowers and clover to the bridge with the hen strutting by is REALLY nice. You should put this in your gallery as it would make a nice screen saver or print. You have a great natural eye when it comes to photography Suzanne.

  3. VAfarmer says:

    Suzanne… I thought you have a battery-powered mower. How did it run out of gas?

    On another note, congrats on getting things mowed down. Goats are incredible at finding the one thing you DON’T want eaten, and eating it immediately. They especially love hostas and roses!

  4. marrypoppinz says:

    Wish someone could teach me how to weed-eat. I’ve tried three different weed-eaters over the years. I spend more time unclogging the string than I do actually weed-eating. It’s just not in my DNA, apparently.

  5. wkyangel says:

    Nice work! I’ve got only an acre, filled with huge granite boulders that in most places you can only use a weed eater. I got me one of those battery operated ones, and they only last about 20 minutes, about as long as I do! When I had my goats, they always got out and headed straight for the fruit trees and ate their fill! They turned up their noses at all the grass and weeds! I told them that goats are SUPPOSED to eat grass! They didn’t believe me!

  6. brookdale says:

    You are way ahead of me, Suzanne! I’ve been mowing all of my adult life and didn’t know you were supposed to put oil in the mower. DH said, “where do you put the oil in?” when he looked at my new second-hand mower. Me: “Oil? What oil?” Guess it makes it run better, I dunno! All I know is, it works, even though he has to start it for me.
    By the way, LOVE the last pic above with the wild clover and buttercups. Very pretty. I have wild violets blooming all over my lawn right now, so I can’t mow it till they’re gone by.

  7. yvonnem says:

    I’ve been at your place, and I know you have a lot to mow. You probably no longer get done and have to start over! Good thing you like doing it.

  8. Cousin Mark says:

    Just do not clean out mower when it is running, avoid pointing mower discharge toward house when mowing near rocks and sticks. (do not ask how I know this one) . It is best to push mower in front of you and then when pulling it backwards, turn your self around and pull mower from behind. You avoid pulling the mower toward your feet which is a big no no. Also check oil in engine before starting mowing. Happy Mowing!!!!!

  9. dcatew says:

    I think a naturalized, wildflower meadow (indigenous plants) in your problem area would look lovely, would be easy to grow and maintain, and would keep you smiling for months and months. Just a thought.

  10. trudyh says:

    Before unclogging the mower, disconnect the spark plug wire from the spark plug.

  11. zteagirl71 says:

    Definitely UNPLUG the spark plug! :bugeyed: If you don’t, the motor could start!!! I think it would be very hard to type with one hand. :turtle:

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