The weather was just right on Saturday, and a little challenging on Sunday. My chore list for the weekend was to close out some yard work and the garden. It wasn’t a long list, just a list that could take a little while to accomplish.
Before I could get to the closing out part, I had to catch-up on the mowing. Around this time of year, each time I mow I hope it will be the last one for the year. I’m pretty sure there will be at least one more round before I can put the lawnmower away until Spring. Saturday was the front yard, Sunday the back.
If over-seeding part of the backyard hadn’t been needed, I might have foregone mowing the back yard. There are two many spots though that don’t have any grass growing. Last year I did a large swath of bare ground, trying to fill in many areas with grass for this year. The grass seed took well making the yard better than anticipated. But, there are many smaller areas still in need of some special care. If the new seed takes, I’ll have fewer bare spots to fill next fall and the lawn will look much better.
The second chore on the list was pulling the last of the veggies in the raised gardens. I had left several tomato plants in from last week. We did get a pretty good number of cherry tomatoes. Enough for the husband to put in his delicious homemade chili on Sunday. There just aren’t enough warm days left to get another harvest of any consequence. So, out they came along with their cages. The leaves were stripped from the stem and placed on the beds; the stems were put in the trash bin. With the cages being about 10 years or so, and falling apart, they too are going in the bin this year.
The last chore, and one I’ve never done before, was in the front flower garden. I’ve written before about the hodge-podge of that particular garden. Loving lilies, I had planted several different bulbs last year. The flowers in the catalog were gorgeous. The flowers on the live plants were even more gorgeous. However, they grew very very tall. So tall in fact they hide the flowers behind them due to my lack of planning. These tall plants are now in a more suitable location in the bed. Next year, barring any issue with the transplants, we’ll be able to see the small lilies, letting them have their moment in the sun.
What I didn’t get accomplished was marking tree branches. There are a number of dead branches that will need to be cut off next spring. I need to mark them in some way to remember which to cut before leaves sprouts. I’d hate to cut a branch that is still alive, especially since the trees are still so young. Next spring I also need to trim some branches from the Oak tree. I want to ensure the lower branches don’t grow out and over the street, blocking the way.
As the cooler weather arrives and takes up residence, my goal for the winter is to learn how to service my mower’s engine. I’d like to learn how to change the oil, clean any filters, replace the spark plug, and sharpen the blades. I can tell by the way the grass is looking after mowing that it is past time for the blades to be sharpened. I’m counting on YouTube to be my friend in teaching me some mechanical knowledge. If it doesn’t work out, then I guess I get a new mower next year, a self-propelled one!.
Hope you’ve been able to close out your summer and prepare for autumn.
Personal Reflections of a Middle-Aged Man 