Thursday, April 29, 2010

First mowing of the year....

I know.  It seems like a dumb blog post.  But really, I do look forward to the first mowing of the year.  When you live in what I call "winter country" where winter can stretch from October through April or May, then you understand why I look forward to getting the mower out.  When the mower comes out of hibernation, it means there are green things growing, and that makes me very happy.

I was so relieved to find that I had actually drained the old gas last fall and so all I had to do was to drain the old oil, add new, add new gas, jiggle the spark plug, give the cord a pull and zoom, it was running!  Sure, I should have had my son sharpen the blade and put in a new spark plug and a carburetor filter and all that before I began my first mowing, but he is really swamped with mechanic work in the shop and I just wanted to mow.  So I did.  And it all worked just as I had planned it.

I mowed our yard and the side banks and then I mowed Grandpa's yard, and today I mowed around the buildings and out by the fence where we sometimes park.  I fired up the weed whacker today too with hopes that I might be able to "mow" the tree patch near our house.  It's too thick and jungley for the mower.  I really am not fond of the weed whacker.  It hurts my arms and shoulders, but I needed to do the job.  So I did.  It was a big job, but I was so thrilled to accomplish it that I continued on and trimmed around the shop, the barn, the fence, and everywhere else that had tall barnyard grass growing alongside it.  Why the mowing and whacking frenzy?  Well, it is supposed to rain tonight and then rain and snow for the next few days.  I don't think we are going to get "measurable snow" like we sometimes do in the spring (look here and here to see what I mean) but we are supposed to have a couple of inches or so.  Snow and rain on already-green-grass means that it will grow, grow, grow and I didn't want to be cutting two foot high grass instead of six inch grass. 

I picked a big handful of daffodils and a few tulips to bring inside, just in case the snow ends up being more than we thought.  Besides, I love bringing a little outdoor beauty indoors.

My outdoor work is done (whew!), the clouds are moving in, the sun is hidden behind them, and I'm having my afternoon cup of coffee and some fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies.  No, I didn't make a batch of dough.  I have frozen cookie balls!  This is the life!

The men are gone tonight to the Big City to hear Coach K, championship basketball coach of Duke, speak.  I'm staying home, eating left-overs and might watch a movie.  I'm thinking a Jane Austen movie, Sense and Sensibility, my favorite.  I watched a movie last night which I loved called Return to Me.  It's a love story about a man who falls in love with the woman who received his wife's heart.  He must decide which woman it is who holds his heart.  Add it to your Netflix queue.

12 comments:

  1. I LOVE "Return to Me"..so sweet! That is some big lawn you mow, looks like a field! I always told my hub that the yard work was his..we were not on a farm where men are so busy and the boys need things to do outside. Have fun tonight..I LOVE that movie too! Come say hi :D

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  2. Hey Jody :)

    I know what you mean about the first cut. Ours was 2 weeks ago but now it's snowing! Well, the fertizlizer should really kick in now :) I love Sense & Sensibility. The movie I usually watch whenh my honey isn't home is Emma with Gwyneth Paltrow.

    Yum! Coffee and chocolate chip cookies, it doesn't get much better than that :)

    have a blessed day!

    Sharon

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  3. Julie,
    Lest you think I mow a field, I do not. I took the grass picture facing the field next to the house, but I don't mow it.

    As the kids were growing up, they helped with yard work too, but often they were in the hayfield or fencing so I just mowed.

    Sharon,
    Thanks for stopping by. I like the movie "Emma" too, in fact, I like all of the Jane Austen books-turned-movies. Pride & Prejudice is another one I love, but it's long.

    Jody

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  4. I really like to watch Sense and Sensibility. I am not sure what it is about it that I love so much, but it is a favorite. Return to Me is good, good, good. I love the focus on the heart/physical and spiritual.
    Way to go, doing all that work, Jody. I smiled when you mentioned the cookie balls!
    Have you put Lark Rise to Candleford on your queue? They send one disk with three episodes at a time. I can hardly wait for the turn around! I hope you had a happy evening.

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  5. I used to love it when mowing season came, but lately I've realized it will just be one more thing to compete for my time. I do love mowing, but there's always so much to do! I hope you don't get too much snow!

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  6. Sounds like you have had a wonderful day out of doors! I love the smell of fresh mown grass and I bet your yard looks great!

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  7. Ok...I am Miss Wimp Woman! I never could start our last gas lawn mower---I was too short to get a good pull on the cord! BUt I id mow the lawn when I was a kid--the old push mower though I was still kinda short then too!

    And now Miss C. is our chief lawn mower and since she's shorter than me, we now own an electric mower. That wouldn't work well at your place, I don't think!

    Coffee and chocolate chip cookies and a good movie---now THAT I can do!

    Joyce

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  8. Oh, I love "Sense and Sensibility." I've watched the Emma Thompson version a million times, but on occasion check out the BBC version from the library. Also good!

    Jody, you'd be surprised how often I think of you. Mostly it's when I'm being wildly lazy, and I think how hard you work on your ranch. But I also think of how beautiful it is where you are. Even your grass is gorgeous!

    frances

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  9. Oh a Jane Austen anything is perfect girls night alone flick!! Enjoy!

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  10. I'm going to have to try making cookie balls, do you put them straight in the oven when they're frozen or thaw them?

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  11. Pom Pom,
    I read the book Larkrise to Candleford and loved it, but haven't seen the movie. It wold be fun to queue up.

    Thimbleanna,
    I know what you mean, the first few mowings are fun and then it becomes "another thing to do."

    WW, I love the smell of fresh-mowed grass and fresh-mowed hay.

    Plain Ol' Vanilla,
    I think I've become a jack of all trades because I'm impatient and hate to wait for others to get things rolling.

    Lefty,
    I have my wildly lazy days too so don't feel badly at all about this one productive day I've reported!

    I'm not sure if I've ever watched the BBC version of S&S.

    Ellen,
    I had an enjoyable evening with Jane Austen and all her friends.

    BK,
    DO make the cookie balls! They are so convenient. I usually just take the frozen balls out, put them on the cookie sheet and preheat the oven. I don't thaw them. Sometimes they take a wee bit more time to bake, but not much.

    Jody

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  12. Love your 'homey' post! Glad you enjoyed some Jane Austen...will have to check out the other movie at our library!
    Larkrise to Candleford is good, but slow. Cranford is similar to it; small town settings, pretty landscape!
    You would love the new Emma by BBC
    with Romola Garai....you will love it!
    Enjoy your day!
    Joanne

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