How does one solve a mowing dilemma?

Ditch Lilies!


[7:01]Apologies for the poor picture. I know I have a better one, but "the guys" are performing strange rituals and incantations over their laptops, the servers and the networks. Something to do with computers. At ANY rate, I do not have access to my files of pictures, but, thankfully, due to my laziness, I still have a ton of pics on my camera, so, voilà!

Every once in a while, procrastination pays off.

I'm sure you are wondering how these orange lilies managed to grow up on the steep side of the ditch, all nice and neat like that. Well, I'll tell you: I PLANTED THEM. ALL 145 CLUMPS OF THEM!

I first got the idea when I was "Great with Ethan," a child who will always remain endeared to his maman, since at 9lb 1 oz, he was the smallest of the nine-pounders. Believe me, we moms appreciate every ounce that falls (or doesn't fall) our way. But I digress....

This was back in the year 1996, probably before many of you college types were even born, I don't know. But, with his health, Loren could not mow, and if any of the kids were mowing, I certainly wouldn't let them tackle THAT section. You may not be able to tell from the picture, but part of it is SO steep, that the only way to manage the job was to approach it from the road in perpendicular fashion, and go down and then drag the mower back up. I only fell a couple of times.

I determined that was the LAST pregnancy I would put up with THAT. So, getting permission from our neighbors, Kendra and I went down and dug up the common ditch flower bulbs, and another horticultural solution came into being.

Eight (plus) years later, the bank has filled in so well that I hardly have to weed out any grass. And best of all, I still have both feet.
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So, just being immersed in the whole nature thing, today, I weeded around seven fruit trees and applied some sheep manure that someone had given us several years ago. They told us to let it age a bit. I trust it was sufficiently cured, by now.

Whilst engaged in this endeavor, I noticed that those crazy raccoons had returned to harass the sweet corn. I say "crazy," since the stuff isn't even ripe yet. I hope and pray they all die of indigestion. In the meantime, I utilized a hint from the Farmer's Almanac, and squirted shaving cream all around the plots. I chose "Real Man" scent, so I'm hoping there will be some "Real Deterrence." I could have bought "Aloe," but then those little robbers might have been rubbing it all over their paws and commenting on the smooth, silky feel. Some things are just wrong.

THEN, (are you bored, yet?) I rounded up the SEVEN bug spray that I never used last year, and mixed up a magic and deadly potion. This was then applied with my professional-type sprayer around the perimeter of the house, to counteract an expected invasion of crickets. Really, there is always some beastie or bug plaguing us. You haven't lived until you've had to get up in the middle of the night, (again, while pregnant) and hunt under the bed (and your husband's empty shoes) for some insidious leg-rubber of an insect who was keeping you awake.

*sigh*

Some day, I'm REALLY gonna hafta get some therapy.

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