At dinner the other night we were commenting on the early spring we are supposed to get, according to the various rodents across the country who claim to have a say in the matter. Everyone seemed thrilled with the idea except for the husband who plays the important role of resident lawn mower. Ugh, mowing season, he said with little enthusiasm.
While I toil away in the garden and flower beds, it is his job to keep the grass cut. We dont mess around with fertilizing or weeding the lawn. We are just happy if it is green. With well water being our drinking source, the idea of spreading chemicals on it seems risky. I am always wary of lawns with those little flags saying, Treated lawn: Stay off.
We dont want to stay off the lawn. In fact, we have been known to roll around on it with wild abandon at least some of us.
I cant quite figure out how sitting atop the bright red tractor, iPod in tow, can be that dreadful. Cutting neat rows while jamming to various jazz musicians, dressed in too-big bibs and the nasty sneakers that are too broken down to run in anymore seems like the opportune time to let worries fade away and get lost in the moment.
Two of the dogs are fascinated with the tractor and follow closely behind, barking incessantly as if they might stop the great, red beast.
With spring comes, yes, work, or as I prefer to call it, maintenance. Developing routines helps keep everything in perspective. In winter we shovel when it snows. We deice when it is icy. And sometimes we have to use unusual objects to scrape off the car when we forget our ice scraper.
In spring he mows, and once a week is usually sufficient. When it rains, he is thrown off his schedule and frustration sets in as if something catastrophic has occurred. Thats not true for me. I can tend to the garden in the rain and do so as needed. The resident lawn mower, on the other hand, is not so happy.
He dreads the first mow of the season because he knows it will be one of nearly 30 that will continue until the last of the leaves fall.
I always like that first shot of green coming from the yard each spring, followed shortly thereafter by the weeds in the driveway and brick sidewalk. Sure, theyre weeds, but theyre green. A little corn gluten meal ought to do away with them before they go to seed.
It seems rather silly to be dreading mowing season as another blast of Arctic air sweeps in to remind us of what season we are dealing with. The four-legged rodent who lives in a den might be right. Spring might come early. But it is winter, it is cold and it is a great time to drop your tractor off at the shop for a tune-up. Those fellas are probably sick of fixing snow blowers, anyway, right?
Have them check your oil, air filter and make necessary repairs and adjustments. Get the blades sharpened. Check the wheels and tires. Charge the battery a few times.
Mowing season will get off to a much better start if the equipment you need is in working order before you need it. In the meantime, there is snow to shovel, ice to melt and kids who need to go sled riding.
