By Frank J. Buchman
“The lawnmower won’t start.”
That’s been said several times in the past week.
“Well, it was running when you turned it off last fall.”
Little consolation now though, and actually a very common situation on the ranch every spring. After six months idle time, our dilemma is experienced by many we’ve heard.
Worse part is since the couple of much appreciated showers, the lawn is really growing.
Some might say already out of control, and admittedly there’ll be plenty of work to get through the heavy grass, and weeds, which look to be dominating the stand.
Thing is others whose mower weren’t working either got them in the shop, running again, and there are some who’ve already mowed three times.
Might be another time for them though before we get after ours, because we have to get the mower into the repairman, and that’ll likely take a while based on the waiting-list we’ve seen there.
Hopefully, the machine will be fixable, and based on maturity; it should be this time around. Yet, as large as our yard is, and roughness of terrain, further embedded with horse hoof tracks when we head out right after a rain, mowers don’t last long here.
There are a handful of worn out lawnmowers out back, because we haven’t hauled them off. Obviously they have little value, since nobody will come pick the old mowers up, even though we’ve told several they could have them for parts, good tires and wheels, etc.
Nothing seems to give the ranch a bad image much faster than letting the lawn grow out of control. That’s proven by the comments we’ve received in recent days. Somebody said they’d come mow it if we needed help, and we were too dumb to take them up.
With the legitimate excuse that cattle operations, and getting everything to grass, have been the lawn keepers’ priority, that’s about done now, so concentration can be directed to lawn care.
Reminds us of Second Samuel 23:4: “The light of sunrise on a morning with no clouds, after the rain brings grass from the ground.” Then Isaiah 5:6 “It’ll turn into a patch of weeds, untended, uncared for.” Fortunately, Psalm 92:9: “The weeds will be mowed down, and another rain on cut grass, let righteousness burst into blossom and peace abound.”
+++ALLELUIA+++
