tell the truth: do you like to mow?
IT’S A SIMPLE QUESTION: DO YOU LIKE TO MOW? Unless, of course, like me you have a love-hate thing going with mowing. I am always irritated that there’s mowing to be done. But I am also always relieved, since “mowing to be done” means legitimate escape from things like writing, which sometimes has me circling the airport, not landing the plane, if you know what I mean. Mowing: Now there is something with immediate, tangible results. You cut the grass blades, and they look cut. You try to write and, well, sometimes you don’t get any words. So tell me, do you like to mow? Going out to mow now…
margaret says
Welcome, Bill. For what? Yes, that’s frequently the question. Sounds like the gardening bug has bitten you hard. Hope to see you here again soon.
Molly says
Unfortunately I tend to be a little brutal with my tools….I decided to mow along a path in the woods – not trees exactly, just some of the small stuff growing on my path. before too long I completely destroyed the blades, so I had to get the entire mower deck removed. The good news is that I can still drive the mower in the woods, it is an old john deere and is an excellent workhorse, I just can’t mow with it any more.
So now we hire a team of cretins to mow the lawn (look who’s talking). I cringe when they come, make divets in the lawn with their high-speed turns, and weed whack the edges to death. I am trying to convince my husband to let me buy a new mower and promise I’ll keep to the lawn – but so far he is not biting. I do wonder if I would resent the time spent outside and NOT gardening. What do you think?
Mowin' Mama says
I LOVE to mow….and it’s a good thing because I mow 15 acres. My kids call me the “Mowin’ Mama” because they say I never get off the mower long enough to talk to them when they visit. All the surrounding farmers in my woodsy river-bank area tease me about my “golf course”. I love the chance to think great thoughts and I have great conversations with me. I get off the mower afterwards tired, tanned, and relaxed…..ready for a nice cold glass of tea..
margaret says
Welcome, Mowin’ Mama. With a name like that, I guess you really do like mowing. I do, too, though I hate making noise and wasting fuel, so I try to be conscious about that and select areas that can be wilder or become mixed plantings instead of lawn. Little by little I’ve reduced the mowable parts quite a bit, but still enjoy the parts that need that circling and circling and circling on the tractor. See you soon again.
Mowin' Mama says
I LOVE to mow, and it’s a good thing I do, because I mow fifteen acres. My kids call me the”Mowin’ Mama” because they say I never get off the mower long enough to talk to them when they visit. The surrounding farmers in my rural woodsy creekside area tease me about my “golf course”, but I love the way it looks when it is mowed. Besides, the time I spend mowing is filled with deep thoughts, dreams of landscaping plans I want to implement,etc. I always say that I have my best conversations with me as I sing, tan. and talk to myself, etc. My grass is starting to grow so it won’t be long until I’m riding my mower again!
Liz says
Love to mow? Not really–but I love the clean neat look of the lines on the lawn–just as much as I like the look of a just vacuumed carpet. I’ve been on my two acre property long enough to replace about 1/2 of the grassy area with gardens–but need a wide open space in the middle for the kids ballgames. My family laughs at me (a long time fitness instructor) and calls it “aerobic lawnmowing” because I walk so quickly trying to get the job DONE so I can head to the garden. Hubbie jokingly complains about how I wear out the mowers by using them to much. I admit I am anal aboutit. Don’t ever want the yard to look like it needs mowing–so I cut the grass BEFORE it needs it.
margaret says
Welcome, Liz. I am like a woman with a mission when I am mowing with the push-mower, too…I get all red in the face in the process. On the tractor, I’m more in a meditative zone. See you soon again, I hope.
Deirdre says
I don’t mind mowing once I’ve designed away any hard to mow corners. Besides, there’s less grass and more bed every year.
elsie says
We have about 3 acres of land to mow here in North West Jersey. Still there is a little farm land that is being purchased by the state and preserved as farmland. The thing I love to do best is to get out on the mower away from phone, people, dogs and husband and just mow. I do my meditations, crying, laughing, planning a yard wedding for a daughter who passed away far to early in life, and enjoy the house from all different views. I realize anew every time I mow how blessed we are to own a little piece of God’s green earth and are the stewards of the ground He has trusted us with. We may move soon, retire and like stupid people do… move South!!!! I will miss my 37 years of mowing. But that is what memories are made for. From Cedar Ledge Farm in North West Jersey. Now don’t you all rush to move here!
margaret says
Welcome, Elsie. When you move, can’t you mow St. Augustine grass or something, even if it doesn’t need it regularly? :) Thanks for visiting, and come by again…if you have time between rounds on turf duty.
Lynne says
Hello Margaret,
Arrgh I do not like to mow, it removes me from doing other more enjoyable garden tasks. We have received frequent heavy rains, so the grass is growing faster than I can keep up. When it slows down, I do like to use the reel mower though.
I really like your blog and your book! Thank you so much!
margaret says
Welcome, Lynne. The grass is growing so fast here I am already sick of it, so I hear you. Thanks for your encouraging words. :)
margaret says
For Memorial Day weekend of 2009, I’m reprising this post as our holiday rant. I’m closing comments here, therefore, to direct them to the Part 2 version: which is right here at this link. See you there.