humor? / my permanent solution for not mowing the yard

[NoraS]

I own several acres, half of which is woods. We have a small herd of deer, several foxes, an otter family, and at least one groundhog. It's a joy to sit on the back porch and watch them frolic through the fields. I can't walk very far, but I love being out on my fully-automatic riding mower, so this WAS the year that I planned to make a circular path through the woods for the rest of the family to use.

Today was unseasonably warm. My elderly neighbor was up on a ladder trimming a tree. The forsythia and daffodils are in bloom; the crocus has just died off. There's no sign of life yet in the oak trees, but the apple and cherries are slowly turning green. The suet cakes are surrounded by 3 different kinds of woodpeckers and 1 lone chickadee. It was a beautiful day to mow.

But first, I decided to read the local newspaper, and that's when I discovered that a dog was mauled by a bear HALF A MILE from my house yesterday. The poor thing might not survive. So, I didn't mow today. And I'm not mowing tomorrow. There's no way I'm going into the woods until I'm sure that mama bear and her baby are miles away. And I've decided that as the summer progresses, any time I just don't feel like mowing the grass, I'm going to use that bear as my excuse!

[palmtree]

That is the solution I would have suggested. When you have a nature wonderland on your property having a perfectly manicured lawn is not necessary. In fact, the naturally growing “weeds” can include wildflowers and look like a majestically prairie.

I recommend you lie on a chaise lounge with sunglasses and iced tea and enjoy the beauty around you. 😎🎋🌳🍃

[Seasha]

Always love your humor, Nora, although a mauling is not a laughing matter. We've had bears on our property too (with cubs), so can relate. Keep out of the woods and stay safe!

[pennstater]

We get bears at our cabin, but thankfully, not at home. Home, we get deer, fox, squirrels, Lage variety of birds, and a few groundhogs. Praying they don't destroy the vegetable garden this year. Last year, the groundhog tunneled under our neighbors and ate all the root veggies. Not a pretty sight.

As for the bears, they can be a little agressive this time of the year, so always really careful. They have used a few caves in the rock ledge on our neighbor's grounds. We had a deer carcass last time up, so assuming a bear got it. We are on a creek with state forest across the way, so always fun to watch.

So kick back, put the feet up, enjoy the nature show and your new found free time!