my jungle

I entered a silly contest earlier this year. The kind where you hope you win and get a grand prize. If you win you become part of the advertizing campaign as they profile you and your win of their products. I realized that it is really part of their advertizing campaign already, because you really start thinking about the item and hoping you get it. This was for outdoor yardcare products. The ones I was hoping for were to help with easier lawn care. Like a solarpowered lawn mower. Riding lawn mower next best. Don't covet is one of those commandments that hit you when you don't realize it. My neighbors have a little solarpowered robot. I don't want theirs. But my goodness it seems so nice to have have the lawn mowed for you and you don't have to take the little gas tank to the station and fill it up and bring it back and fill up the lawn mower either.

This year I started off doing the mowing. Mowing a big lawn is something my husband didn't want to do when we started looking at houses. So I never wanted to ask him. As the year progressed I gradually expanded where I mowed to try to bring the remaining jungles under control... at least not go to seed (and get rid of years of junk hiding under the jungle). It takes a lot of energy to mow on our uneven lawns. But I was proud that I did it. And I love my yard and seeing the results. However, a pattern of migraines the day after I mow convinced me to finally stop in June. I focused my outside time on my vegetable garden. (Which has exceeded expectations! Check out one of my zuchini!)

I planned on having my husband take over I still felt bad about asking. He didn't want the large lawn. And then we had so much going on with the re-roofing that it wasn't priority. And then there where roof scraps all around the house it wasn't really fesable. One time I went at it again on a side clear of debry. And yes I got a head ache. The next time I tried the lawn mower wouldn't work. After three months..... I have a complete jungle. The lawn mower is fixed and my dear husband mowed what he could in the morning before he went to work. He is dumping the clippings on some of the untamed areas that aren't as good soil for garden yet but sure seem to grow tall weeds! So I am spreading them and then when I get a chance I can add som good natural fertilizer. ;P And hopefully next year I can incorporate it into a mini-cornfield. Anyway here are pictures of the clipped grass. and some of the unclipped portions.