Tales from Soggy Bottom

 

by Pa Rock

Mowing Fool

I have already mowed twice this year, and the yard is in desperate need of a third cutting.  The mowings four weekends ago and two weekends ago were relatively easy affairs because we had experienced a dry winter and spring - which meant that overall the grass was dry, not overgrown, and easy to cut.  But not too long after the last mowing it began to rain, and it has rained at least some on most of the days in the interim.  Yesterday was the day that I should have begun the current round of mowing, but this area was under a threat of rain all day, and finally in the early evening the skies ripped open and dumped a heavy shower on our already soaked rural landscape.

A realtor would describe my yard as "plush," "green," and possibly "verdant," but as the homeowner whom society expects to keep the place presentable, I see the yard more in terms like "overgrown," "ragged," and "soggy."  

Alexa is warning to expect thunderstorms today, but she is holding out hope that tomorrow and Tuesday might be mowable.

I have a gnome feature in the front yard, twenty feet beyond my typing window, in which eight gnomes guard a circle of white rocks from which arise plant and bird-feeder stands as well as a birdbath.   Strands of grass have broken through the rocks which need pulling.    Perhaps I can get to that later today if the storms hold off.  The invasive grass has gotten so tall with all of the recent rain, that the gnomes now resemble a patrol of colorful misfits making their way through a jungle.

There is a lavender floribunda rosebush outside of the front door that has never done especially well, but it is currently supporting twenty-five full blossoms and looks amazing.  It is obviously a fan of rain.  But I have several other rosebushes, also in the front yard, that have yet to bloom at all.  The young trees in the yard - a pear, two oaks, five dogwoods, and a holly - all seem to be loving the rain.  I also have a nice patch of young paw-paw trees that are doing well, as are a handful of young sassafras trees.

The net effect of all the rain has been positive for the plants in the yard, but nevertheless, this tired old typist would still savor a day of sunshine!