Making Hay While the Sun Shines

Like a miracle, yesterday the sun appeared for a few hours in the afternoon and I seized the opportunity to mow the knee-high grass. The only problem was my lawnmower was barely functioning last Fall and had been sitting in the garage all Winter. I know there’s Spring maintenance necessary – out with the old gas, in with the new, etc. but I don’t do mechanical very well. I knew that since the thing is a bitch to start at the best of times, there was no way I’d get it to start up for me. But tucked further in the back of the garage was what I call the Barbie mower. It’s electric, very light and plastic like a toy- not a machine. Like if Barbie were to have a lawn mower. A kind neighbor showed up with it a few years ago when I’d asked for help in getting the gas one going. It’s not as powerful as the gas one and the whole extension cord thing is a real pain. But Barbie mower works. In fact, it works very well for my purposes. It’s basic and barrels over everything.

I wanted to mow my lawn is because I needed to add to my ‘lasagna’ plot but don’t want to ask for grass clippings from someone else as most of my neighbors and friends fertilize and use chemicals on theirs. I do not. I am not ashamed of my patchy lawn. You can eat from mine. And that’s what we plan to do.

After mowing, I did something I don’t ever do: I raked up the grass clippings. I usually leave them on the grass as mulch but I bagged yesterday’s bounty and took it to my plot to add another before the rains came. Today it’s been torrential and I don’t mind, imagining my lasagna garden cooking up nicely with yesterday’s added ingredient.

5 thoughts on “Making Hay While the Sun Shines”

  1. Tricia, when we moved to NJ many years ago the first thing your grandfather did was break the soil and start a garden. It grew bigger when a NYC friend came out to work it with him. Your grandfather NEVER used pesticides, even when the Colorado beetle attacked the tomatoes or other bugs feasted. We just worked a little harder to catch those creepy things and used other tricks like interplanting with marigolds, etc. The well being of the birds and of the people who ate what he grew came first. Now here in Florida our “lawn” is the least of our concerns, but we have enough lush vegetation, much of it native and colorful, in back to attract cardinals, ibises, hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. Makes us happy! Good luck with your lasagna plot.

  2. I remember that garden well and him plucking the Japanese beetles off by hand. We were lucky to have him in our life. Thanks for sharing this memory. More inspiration!

  3. Love the lasagna garden image! And should it surprise us that an old-fashioned anything works better than the fancy improved modern ones that are too tricky for anyone’s good? And oh, what a blessing are the few sunny, warm days! Heaven! XO

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