(Click on the thumbnail for the bigger, better version)
When The Husband reaches for a hoe, weed-whacker, or the mower, I quake in fear. You need to know this, The Husband is a fine gardener. With my lousy back, he not only does the heavy lifting in our gardening, he does all the lifting. He cares, he truly enjoys the rewards, and he is willing to do the work. I am deeply grateful.
However. You knew that was coming, didn’t you? However, when it comes time to clean up the yard, he is, in his heart, committed to what I have named the General Sherman school of landscaping. That’s General William Tecumseh Sherman, he of the “scorched earth” policy. Right. The general who torched Atlanta.
When he announced that it was time to mow down what was left of the wild daisies near the house, I was a little nervous. Who knew what else would fall along with the dried daisy stalks. I watched him drive the tractor out of the shed and retreated to the office, resigned to live with the consequences.
This time, it turned out for the best. I can walk more freely now, no longer dodging the impenetrable clumps of stalks with all the dried vegetation camouflaging goodness only knew what. The ant beds are a new concern, but I have long been wary of the gopher holes, and we do live in rattlesnake country. Now, I can see where I am going and feel more confident to explore beyond what had been my narrow walkways. The first signs of fall are already in the air and there will be more of these cloud shows in the days to come. It’s nice having access to even more viewpoints from which to enjoy them. General Sherman, a job well done. I salute you, sir.
ADDENDUM:
Before the pixels had settled from this post, General Sherman went back to work. The second wave of the battle took out the daisies that were still hanging on at the edge of the patio. War is indeed hell. Now, about that salute.
Lol, I have a General Sherman as well! My husband had forewarned me he'd done some "trimming". I quaked with fear, not sure what to expect. He didn't trim, he cleared an entire area. Eeeks! Right down to the dirt. Lol, now that I'm used to it, it looks good and is shovel-ready for new, less wild plantings, like some fruit trees and ground cover. Still....
ReplyDeleteI understand your husbands take on things. I also subscribe to the hoe/mow/trim once theory of garden/lawn/scrub care--if you do it "right" you may only have to do it once! I guess it's a man thing.
ReplyDeleteAlas, my wife seldom lets me near her flower beds. ~grin~
Wonderful clouds in the photo.
Hahaha, this was an amusing episode from real life, starring General Sherman. Lucky I have no acres of lawns, who knows what I would turn into. :-)
ReplyDeleteMary Ann - It is comforting to know that I am not alone in this struggle. After reading posts from Earl and Ove, I am starting to wonder if it is a "guy thing". :) It is is interesting, isn't it, that sometimes we end up liking the results?
ReplyDeleteEarl - Your wife is a wise and strong woman. :) The clouds will be one of the nicest things about the autumn weather.
ReplyDeleteOve - Your post along with Earl's and Mary Ann's have me wondering if this is how most men think it should be done. Heavens! :) But, I think you hit on something. Perhaps my husband really wants acres of smooth lawn (something that won't happen here) and he longs to run that mower and trim that grass down to it's minimum height. Hmmm.
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