random thoughts – Day 1,509 – (Monday) – mow job

Before the mowing.

The first mow of the year is in the books, and for parts of the yard, not a moment too soon. Along the back of the house from the point of the now peeling bulkhead to the property line at the deck, clumps of greenery grew thick and tall. Maybe a foot high, give or take.

The back yard has become extra uneven as half of the paver squares have sunk and the grass and other greenery have grown over them. It used to be manageable keeping up with trimming the growth back, but last summer’s rain and minimum time spent in the yard let it really get away from me. It may now require professional help. It’s on the list. It’s a long list. Long enough to make apartment living feel luxurious.

After the mowing.

Beyond the rugged section the rest of the yard was mostly manageable. The thicket delivered an extra special arm workout with shoving the mower forward and through it. Tall, wispier clumps remain next to the foundation, stairs, and along the fence, illustrating the ongoing need for a string trimmer.

A trimmer is on the list of “someday I’ll get one of those” items, I just never remember to actually shop for one. I don’t hang out in the orange or blue big box home stores as much as I used to when I would trick myself into thinking that maybe I’d meet a nice guy there. That is also how I used to trick myself into leaving the house at all, but now I don’t care anymore.

The conditions were perfect for mowing – partly cloudy, not too warm, not too buggy. The electric mower is less temperamental and much faster than the old gas mower. It went quickly enough that for a nanosecond I entertained the idea of going to the gym. Then the idea flitted away in favor of spending more time outdoors.

Potted purple petunias.

A second attempt was made to dig out the clump of irises next to the shed. This year’s super cheap trowel, bought last week, nearly snapped in the effort. The big pointy shovel was in the shed, locked after storing the lawn mower and the key was in the house. Project Iris clump was abandoned in favor of potting two purple petunias which are now on the front steps, at least temporarily.