by Pa Rock
Yard Master
This week I completed the seventh mow of the summer here at Rock's Roost. Normally I would be into double digits by now, but this summer has been exceptionally dry. Instead of putting all of the effort into mowing, a task that takes seven or eight hours, a lot of my time has been dedicated to carrying water to the young trees that I have planted over the past couple of years. If it's not one thing, it's a couple of others.
But we have gotten some rain over the last week or two, so I was able to let up on the tree-watering. The downside of the rain is, of course, that the sweet summer showers have caused the grass to green-up and start growing again. I am headed out next Monday for a week in Oregon, and the yard needed to be buzzed before I could leave with a clear conscience.
Normally the biggest challenge that I face while mowing the monster yard is watching out for rocks, souvenirs from the last ice age that poke up through the ground like terrestrial icebergs and pose a danger to the blades and functioning of my massive mowing machine. I have spent much of the summer digging those mini-boulders out of the ground - and I now have a very nice pile of rocks.
This week while mowing I edged the big rider up next to the well house hoping to give it a close trim. However, my good mowing intentions came to a halt when the earth beneath the mower suddenly collapsed leaving one of the back tires dangling in a large hole and a front tire waving impotently in the air. Somehow I managed to get myself free of the machine, but the riding mower remained stuck in the hole until my son showed up several hours later and helped me to free it. When we finally got the mower out of harm's way, the extent of the hole was revealed. It was a cavity about two feet deep, two feet across, and three or four feet in length. If it would have been much larger I could have opened it for tours!
Yesterday I hauled three wheelbarrow-loads of rocks and dumped them into the hole. (The rock pile has come in handy on several occasions.) Later today I will buy some pea gravel and small river rocks to finish the job - and I have half-a-bag of cement that I may add to the mix.
I have filled several smaller holes this year, and I am getting quite good at the process. Some day my large yard will resemble a golf course - and I am sure the next owner will appreciate all of my efforts.
That's my summer - mowing and filling holes - and carrying water - and taking care of the animals - and blogging. It's full-time work on a part-time salary, but fortunately the job suits me.
Oregon next week, then another mow, and Salt Lake City in early September - followed by a couple of more mows. The secret of life is to keep moving!
Yard Master
This week I completed the seventh mow of the summer here at Rock's Roost. Normally I would be into double digits by now, but this summer has been exceptionally dry. Instead of putting all of the effort into mowing, a task that takes seven or eight hours, a lot of my time has been dedicated to carrying water to the young trees that I have planted over the past couple of years. If it's not one thing, it's a couple of others.
But we have gotten some rain over the last week or two, so I was able to let up on the tree-watering. The downside of the rain is, of course, that the sweet summer showers have caused the grass to green-up and start growing again. I am headed out next Monday for a week in Oregon, and the yard needed to be buzzed before I could leave with a clear conscience.
Normally the biggest challenge that I face while mowing the monster yard is watching out for rocks, souvenirs from the last ice age that poke up through the ground like terrestrial icebergs and pose a danger to the blades and functioning of my massive mowing machine. I have spent much of the summer digging those mini-boulders out of the ground - and I now have a very nice pile of rocks.
This week while mowing I edged the big rider up next to the well house hoping to give it a close trim. However, my good mowing intentions came to a halt when the earth beneath the mower suddenly collapsed leaving one of the back tires dangling in a large hole and a front tire waving impotently in the air. Somehow I managed to get myself free of the machine, but the riding mower remained stuck in the hole until my son showed up several hours later and helped me to free it. When we finally got the mower out of harm's way, the extent of the hole was revealed. It was a cavity about two feet deep, two feet across, and three or four feet in length. If it would have been much larger I could have opened it for tours!
Yesterday I hauled three wheelbarrow-loads of rocks and dumped them into the hole. (The rock pile has come in handy on several occasions.) Later today I will buy some pea gravel and small river rocks to finish the job - and I have half-a-bag of cement that I may add to the mix.
I have filled several smaller holes this year, and I am getting quite good at the process. Some day my large yard will resemble a golf course - and I am sure the next owner will appreciate all of my efforts.
That's my summer - mowing and filling holes - and carrying water - and taking care of the animals - and blogging. It's full-time work on a part-time salary, but fortunately the job suits me.
Oregon next week, then another mow, and Salt Lake City in early September - followed by a couple of more mows. The secret of life is to keep moving!
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