Work Day
This past weekend happened to be one of those instances where the stars aligned and my calendar and my brother’s both had an open day to get some needed chores done at the farm. Yard work was planned and as luck would have it, the weather was warm, dry and sunny.
We started later morning, he actually let me arrive sixty minutes after him so he could cut in the lawn, and manage around the berms. Once I arrived my brother and sister-in-law were busy working in the garden beds, weeding and planting. It had been a few weeks since I was last on the zero turn and was ready to get started. The pattern of the day was north/south, and my first job was mowing.
I decided I would tackle the back yard first and away I went. The yard takes about three hours with two mowers, working in tandem with each other. My brother on one area while I was on another. We eventually ended up at the same place attacking the remaining area together. We’d often catch each other’s eye and give a nod, smile or some funny gesture.
Once I came to the section of the lawn that was adjacent to the sweet corn patch, I noticed several ears of corn that still had the silks attached, but were mostly gnawed clean, yet strewn across the lawn. I figured I better get off the machine and pick up the cluttered ears. Upon further inspection there must have been fifty additional, partially eaten corn cobs, some with the stalks still attached. It was crazy how many ears of corn the raccoons helped themselves to. The burning barrel was full and I still had several armfuls left to gather. You can imagine my delight…..HA!
Once the back and front areas were completed, Jeff headed to do the barn lawn and I headed out back to mow the snowmobile testing strip that goes the length of the farm property. It’s a big, open strip of grass maybe twenty-five feet in width. It’s fun to mow since it’s long and straight, without any trees or rocks to maneuver around. As I was making my way along the west side, I saw something that caught my eye. Upon approaching, I gingerly crept ahead making sure to not to run it over. It was a pile……of black fur that had a white stripe…..a skunk. There didn’t appear to be anything but a pile of fur. The carcass was completely missing. As I drove ahead I accidentally sucked up the edge of the fur and it puffed out the mower deck, without any smell…….phew!
Moving along the west side and closer to the back of the sweet corn patch, I could see several half and completely eaten corn strewn across the back side. There were even more corn cobs and stalks than what I encountered earlier……grrrr. I can’t remember when we had so many raccoon issues with the corn. They certainly made a mess of the lawn even though they was a lot good eating going on….LOL.
On one of the rounds, while turning the corner at the far end, heading back to the farm, it hit me just how beautiful it was from a distance. Everything was lush and green with white barns standing tall and proud, and my Dad’s American flag waving valiantly in the breeze. Days like these I treasure……work days, on the farm, together as a family.
xoxox…..Sheryl