Tag Archives: mowing the lawn

I Make it Through Monday

Posted on June 17, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

It is late in the day on Monday (for me), and I think all I can manage is a Monstrous Monday post.  Has it been a Monstrous Monday?  In some senses, yes.  I had great ambitions for cleaning my house which did not come to fruition.  I mowed the lawn, actually starting the power mower myself, which regular readers may recall is not easy for me.  I did a little more yard work late in the day, but SO MUCH is still to be done!  I hang my head in shame.

This is a good boy!

If only I had Gene Wilder to comfort me thus!  This, of course, is a shot from Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein, one of a very few perfect movies, in my not so humble opinion.

Maybe it’s Maybelline.

Why is my computer underlining “Maybelline”?  I looked it up!  Anyways, this is a shot from a less than perfect movie, but a perfectly cheesy movie which I love to watch, The Brain That Wouldn’t Die.

In fact I did.

OK, this is not a monster but some find it good advice for a Monday.  I am not advocating alcoholism.  To me, the sitting down, pouring yourself a beverage, and relaxing is the point. Sometimes my beverage is seltzer and lemon.  Sometimes it is coffee or tea.  Full disclosure:  right now it is Chardonnay.  Happy Monday, everyone.

 

2 Comments

Posted in humor, Monstrous Monday, personal and tagged , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

No Mo’ No Mow!

Posted on May 15, 2025 by mohawkvalleygirl

I guess it is time to start Lawn Order posts again.  Strange that I never made that a category or at least a tag; it is one of my favorite puns, right up there with, “I fought the lawn, and the lawn won” (I know you sang it; I did).  Full disclosure:  I am going to illustrate this with pictures from my Media Library, because it is really not worth taking pictures of what I accomplished.  Did I win out over the lawn, you are perhaps asking?  I am going to say I did.  At least I acquitted myself well in this skirmish, with some help.

The grass was more grown in.

There was a lot more and longer grass in my front and back yards than in this picture, because I had not mowed yet this year.  Eric Gage of WKTV Weather said it was No Mow May.  At first I thought he said, “No Mo’ May” and we were skipping right to June, but he meant we should let things grow for the sake of pollinators.  I suppose this is all very well for people who are able to start their power mowers.  For those of us who use a non-power mower as a back-up, waiting till almost halfway through the month was not a good plan.

Yesterday (Tuesday) I hauled out the power mower and tried to start it to no avail.  I took the non-power job and tried that.  Oh dear.  I am not a young woman, and I never was a very strong woman.  I gave it up.  I tried again today, this time bringing a little more determination to the endeavor.  Again, there was no starting the power mower.  I took a deep breath and went to work with the other one.  Let me tell you, determination will only get you so far.  I almost gave up three or four times but encouraged myself by what I had accomplished so far.  In point of fact, it did not really look that good: more grass was flattened than cut, but sometimes I have to take what I can get.

Then I heard the blessed sound of somebody else’s power mower.  It was a neighbor across the street who had once offered his help in shoveling snow.  I pulled my mower across the street and asked his help.  A couple of tries and success!  I was on my way!  I got the front done!  I got the back done!  I’m afraid I mowed down some flowers, but you’ll have that. I can always plant new ones if the others don’t come back.

Preview of Coming Attractions.

I did not mow down any daisies.  They are not blooming yet in any case.  After shutting the mower off, I came back out front with some clippers to take care of some really ugly things that keep growing there (I’ll take a picture if they grow back).  My neighbor was sweeping cut grass from his sidewalk.  He asked if it had worked.  I called back that I had finished and thanked him fervently.

“Glad to help out!” he said.

I tried to sweep my cuttings too, but by then I was so tired and sweaty, I did not do a very good job.  I came in and took a second shower and dressed in my second cute outfit of the day (or do I flatter myself). I felt utterly incapable of making a blog post, but I said to myself, “Well, just try.”  I think that worked out almost as well as the lawn, but again, perhaps I flatter myself.

 

1 Comment

Posted in humor, lawn order, personal and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Lawn Order? Not So Much

Posted on May 31, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

Yesterday I mentioned how I did not work on my lawn, in consideration of my aching back.  Today once again my back gave me grief, but I chose to ignore it.  I thought, I’m old and overweight:  I’m going to have back pain.  I might just as well get what I can done.  With great effort, I got the garage door open.  Despite great effort, I could not get the power mower going.  I hauled out the  non-power mower and had at it.

My overgrown lawn from a different year.

Off I went, up and down the yard, pushing, pushing, getting caught in sticks, throwing said sticks aside, throwing other sticks aside before I got stuck on them.  I soon found I could see a difference between where I had mowed and where I had not, so that encouraged me.  I did the back then the front.  Then I grabbed a set of clippers and tried to chop down a few tall monstrosities that had popped up out front.  I think I got most of them, throwing their corpses into one of the plastic trash cans I keep for such a purpose.  I went out back for more chopping but had pretty much run out of steam by then.

My ambition for the future.

This is my container garden from another year. You can see the lawn not overgrown in the background.  I have a long way to go to get such a backyard oasis for this summer.  Will I manage it?  A little uncertainty adds interest to my spring.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, personal and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Don’t Wuss! Walk!

Posted on May 30, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

So there I was, sitting on my couch feeling utterly exhausted.  I mean not just tired, but entirely used up.  It is a feeling I get a lot lately.  Oh, stop playing that miniature violin (you know who you are)! One thing I do not need is condescension.  My original plan for today was to go running after work.  Unfortunately, I did something to my back and it was quite painful by the end of my work day.  At first I thought I would go ahead and run anyways.  Worst case scenario:  I stopped running and walked.  Then I thought the real worst case scenario is that I wake up tomorrow with an even worse backache, so I told myself don’t be stupid.  Run tomorrow.

Picture to pep things up.

Still, a walk might help a sore back.  It probably would have been a better idea to take said walk right away, before I sat there on the couch feeling like a big lump of I Don’t Care.  It was the thought of taking a couple of pictures on the walk for blogging purposes that got me into my sneakers and out the door.  I can’t break my streak of posting daily, can I?

The first place I walked was into my own backyard, to check on my rhododendron.  I had seen some neighbors’ rhododendrons blooming and hoped mine was doing the same.  It is blooming but is being overshadowed by a pine tree that grows nearby.  A few years ago I cut a bunch of branches off the tree for that very reason.  I felt like much woman, as my sister Vicki would say.  I guess I need to do it again.  I tried to get a picture of what blooms there are, but the sun was in the wrong place, so I couldn’t get the shot.

While I was out back, I could not help but notice how badly I need to mow.  I need, in fact, to do more than mow, but do some major yard work.  I almost opened up my garage and hauled out the mower.  Once again, consideration for my back stopped me.  Even opening the garage is quite the effort, because some spring or other broke after not being in the right place to begin with (I don’t properly understand these things).  I promised myself to try it tomorrow.  Or the next day.  Saturday at the latest.

Out front, I realized I could take a picture of my daisies, once again taking over the yard.  I just can’t bear to cut them back till they stop blooming.  They are so cheerful.  I put the picture of them after the first paragraph, because I did not want to make my readers wait too long for an illustration.  Then I took a picture of the two peonies that managed to bloom.

I love the smell!

My back was still hurting, but I at least walked around the block.  There were not many photo ops, because I do not like taking pictures of people’s yards without their permission (although I have done it on occasion).  I saw a flowering tree in front of one house, and I wondered what it was.  I took a picture, zooming in so you can only see tree, nothing of the house.  That makes it anonymous enough, doesn’t it?

Perhaps one of my readers knows what it is.

I felt somewhat revived after my walk, at least enough to open the Chromebook and make the blog post.  And I believe I have successfully avoided having a Wuss-out Wednesday.

 

Leave a comment

Posted in humor, Pedestrain Post, personal and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

At Least I Made a Blog Post

Posted on May 20, 2024 by mohawkvalleygirl

I allow an episode of Columbo to play while I make my Wrist to Forehead Sunday post.

I had my coffee earlier.

I like Columbo every day of the week, not just Sunday, but Sunday seems like an especially good day for him.  I have seen this episode enough times that I can let it play while I post.  I have had a kind of a wrist to forehead day.  I did not actually swoon (I have not a suitable chaise lounge for it anyways, as regular readers may recall), but I had a kind of dramatic bout of I Can’t Do Anything.  That, of course, plagues me regularly, the result of my depression or my innate laziness, but it is often worse on a Sunday.  I usually try to embrace the uselessness, just relax and enjoy the day.

I watched a cheesy horror movie, Manos: The Hands of Fate, a really foolish movie.  I had not meant to watch it, but it was on a DVD with three other movies, and I could not find the remote that allows me to arrow down to another choice.  I later found it right in front of me.  I used to accuse my husband Steve of hiding my things.  He would hide them in one of three insidious places:  Right Where I Left Them, Where They Belonged, or Out in Plain Sight. He would give an evil laugh and admit everything.  After I started the second movie on the DVD (also not the one I wanted to watch), I paused it to call my parents.  While talking to them, I talked myself into trying to mow my lawn. one of the chores I had felt utterly incapable of doing.

What can I say?  I fought the lawn and the lawn won.

From another year. The lawn won then, too.

EEEEE!  That was one of the more brutal murders on Columbo, and I looked up just in time to see it.  I’m always sad when I like the victim.  Sometimes the victim is a fool who tries to blackmail the murderer (in fact, the second victim usually is).  I sit there saying, “Are you ASKING them to murder you?”  When I write my murder mysteries, I usually make the victim a sonofabitch, hated by all.  For one reason, it gives everybody a motive.

I see I am approaching 400 words.  That’s pretty good for a nothing post.  Will the coming week bring posts of more substance?  We shall see.  I certainly hope you will tune in to find out.

 

2 Comments

Posted in humor, personal, Wrist to Forehead Sunday and tagged , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Slacker? At Least It Is On Saturday

Posted on October 1, 2023 by mohawkvalleygirl

So I need to make a post today, after posting yesterday after missing three days.  I confess to feeling some discouragement about gettting no likes on yesterday’s post.  Admittedly it was not the best of posts.  I am having a hard time here, people!

I got a few things done. I had a VA appointment on my laptop (dining room table top, as regular readers know).  I did the dishes (anybody who feels I should do the dishes every day may feel free to judge me).  I mowed my lawn, starting my power mower BY MYSELF.  That was pretty big.  To those of you who have no problems with these things, well, that is nice for you.

Later on I got together with my friend Kim, and we had some fun, although nothing particularly blog-worthy.  We went to Little Falls, NY but later hung out on my front porch.  It was a delightfully lovely day, although we felt a bit too warm walking down the street under the bright sun while in Little Falls.

I guess this is kind of a Slacker Saturday post.  In my defense I am making it ON Saturday.  I feel that should count for something.  If you do not agree, please say why in a comment.  I am always pleased to get comments.

 

4 Comments

Posted in humor, personal, Slacker Saturday and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

No Lawn Order Here

Posted on June 19, 2019 by mohawkvalleygirl

I have no good excuse to have a Tired Tuesday post,  and yet, here we are.  However,  I went out to my yard just now and took a few pictures.  Full disclosure: this is not a good lawn and garden year for Mohawk Valley Girl.  Still, one does what one can, and I do not despair of doing more as the summer wears on.  OK, sometimes I despair,  but let us not dwell on the negative.  On with the pictures and the post.

I was SO delighted to see these!

I have two patches of irises.  I got the bulbs from my mother years ago (how the time flies when you’re middle-aged!).  The bigger ones, next to the garage, did not bloom this year.  However, I noticed a couple of these smaller blooms when I was attempting to mow last week.  As an aside, after my attempt at mowing, I posted on Facebook,  “I fought the lawn and the lawn won.”

I also took a close-up.

There is not much else in bloom currently.  There are still daisies,  but they don’t look any better than the last time I shared pictures of them.  At least the chives are flowering.

I LOVE chives!

I wanted to take one more picture,  so I got a shot of my spearmint.  I wish I had peppermint.   I include the picture as a cautionary tale.   Mint WILL try to take over your lawn.

2 Comments

Posted in humor, personal, Tired Tuesday and tagged , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

If Only I Could Write a Blooming Blog Post

Posted on June 2, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

I ran today, thinking I would sneak in another running commentary.  It was a dull and boring run.  At least, for a while I enjoyed it quite a bit.  But I think it was only interesting to me as I was running it and it would not entertain anybody, least of all myself, to make a blog post about it.  Still, a blog post must be made (because I say it does, that’s why!). I am currently cooking, so I could do a cooking post. If only I were doing something more interesting than heating up leftovers.

If only I could bestir myself sufficiently to take the Tablet out to the yard.  At least one iris bloomed today.  I posted a picture of the buds the other day.  I think some readers would be pleased to be posted on current developments.  Just a moment first, to stir the pot on the stove and lower the heat under it.  And find the Tablet (as you may recall, I have a habit of misplacing it).

Maybe if I would have stood on my head…

I guess it’s not the best picture, because the stem is kind of bent over.  Believe me, I know how it feels!  Perhaps I should put a tomato cage over it or something. Steven arrived home while I was taking the picture, and I was able to assure him that I TOLD the young man who mows the lawn not to mow down the daisies, as Steven had asked him to do.  You see, this nice young man who lives across the street offered to mow our lawn.  In addition to being quite busy and (on my part, at least) a little lazy, we were happy to encourage this example of young entrepreneurship.  The first time he did it, he did not mow the daisies in our front yard, which have become a little extensive this year.  Steven told him to mow them this time.  At the last minute, I reprieved them, though, because they were just too pretty.  Here is a picture.

He loves me, he loves me not…

In front of the daisies is a peony bush that magically appeared after we had sufficiently discouraged the wild day lilies.  I insisted it had been planted by my stalker, a statement that has yet to be disproved.  The peonies have not bloomed yet, but look how many buds:

It started as one lone stalk and blossom, and there’s a lesson for all of us.

The main problem with the daisies is that they hide the lilies of the valley, which are also multiplying exponentially.   However, I’m finding those blooms don’t show very well even without anything in front of the greenery.  I tried to get a picture.

If you look really close, you can just see a few bells.

I’ve picked a few lilies of the valley and brought them inside.  I used a shot glass for a vase, because they are so small (Steven collects shot glasses, although we rarely do a shot of anything).  I love the smell.  I tired to get a picture, but I fear they were backlit and do not show.

It’s frogs on either side of the flowers. Steven collects those, too.

We also have some daisies inside.  Steven put them in water with blue food coloring, at my suggestion.  I think they’re pretty.

Oh, yeah, he loves me.

So for not a running post and not a cooking post, I think this makes a pretty good flower post.  We’ll call it a win for Non-Sequitur Thursday.

 

2 Comments

Posted in humor, Non Sequitur Thursday, personal and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.