Good Stewardship

I believe I have yet to share a part of our effort to be more frugal, natural, and better stewards of the blessing that is our earth. We have purchased (I KNOW, RIGHT! we rarely purchase much of anything new, so this is huge): a swing blade and a reel mower.

Do you know what the first tool is actually called? It amounts to a handle with a blade on the bottom which is bent so as to be parallel with the earth as you swing it like a golf club to beat down (cut) the really TALL weeds/grasses before you Reel mow them. I've gotten quite good at weilding the swing blade, if I do say so myself (which, of course, I am!).

The Reel mower is fun. As long as there are no sticks in the way, it REALLY IS fun. However, unfortunately, there are LOTS of sticks in the yard. I think there were plenty to start with, but then the tree that fell on our house was piled in our yard for a while and LOTS of sticks remained when most of the tree was hauled away. This week I was able to get the front yard into some general order ALL by myself! What did this take? I know you want to ask mehow I did it (since you know how huge our yard is (almost 1/2 an acre all told - front and back), so I'll tell you!

It all started on Wednesady. I decided the front yard was starting to look unsightly again. The Mimi-grass (okay, most people call is grama-grass) was about as tall as Tea's hip, which is just under my knee (I think). Thankfully it was not as thick as it was the first day we hacked at it (actually, Jessie hacked at it then). It took me a bit more than 1.5 hours to get the tall stuff down in the LEFT HALF of our front yard. I DO think that is the larger side of the yard, but still! As you picture me in your mind, you must consider that I am still a very heavy girl even after losing the weight I have gotten off. So that amount of continuous effort was significant for me. I was definitely red in the face for some time after I was finished.

Thursday, I mowed that side of the yard. That took me only about an hour.

Friday, I hacked away the tall stuff in the right side of the yard. I think that took me about an hour. So, either I'm getting a LOT better or that side of the yard IS smaller!

And today, I reel mowed the right side of the yard (which is also the side that held the felled tree for about a week). The mowing should have taken a lot less time, but because of the branches, it was another hour.

I have a plan to use the mower BEFORE the high stuff sets in... probably at the end of next week. That way I can, hopefully avoid the use of the swing blade. That thing has given me lots of blisters!

"What do you do with the kids during all this outdoor work!??" I can hear you, ya know!!!

Well, anyone that might try to attack me about how much time my kids play outside would be absolutely telling tales and trying to make something out of nothing in the past AND now. The kids play in the yard while I'm working ON the yard. I AM only working on half of it at a time, afterall! Also, there is a big long wide driveway in which they can play!

Now, if someone who might choose to accuse me were to look to my children's complexion for proof that they are outside about an hour a day at least 4 days per week (my minimum requirement is 20 minutes per day at least 5 days per week, but striving for 7 days pers week)... well, they would be just foolish to try to see that as proof or disproof. You see, my kids turn a sweet and BEAUTIFUL golden color. They do NOT become tremendously dark, neither do they turn red like their Daddy. I think their lovely color is a gift of the combination of Jess and me cause I can get a bit darker than they do, but it's still more like their color than Jessie's is.

Their coloring remains darn consistent whether we are outside at high noon or later in the evening - at least it's true thus far. Their hair turns blonder faster when we're out in the heavy sun. However, because I am aware of the dangers of high/hard/heavy sun exposure, I try to DRASTICALLY limit their time in the sun between 10am and 4pm. Today and the last three days we've gone out for Mama to work on the lawn at around 5pm. That works out PERFECTLY because when we're done they can get into the shower, snack, and it's bed time! It's been working out exceedingly well.

I'm so glad because next week I need to begin to tackle the BACK yard. And it's not going to end after the back is somewhat under control! In the back, though, talk about amazingly crazy high grasses. I REALLY want to get pictures before I start on it again. Yes, you read correctly, I've already tried to begin to manage it back there and have been unsuccessful in putting much of a dent in the highness. I wish I could get a goat or three NOW!!! And some ducks and chickens. They would take care of this lickity-split! *sigh* That darn fence! I'm sure it's all for our good. Just have to wait on the Lord! :)

The whole process of constant maintainance (laundry, dishes, and yard specifically) has got me thinking a LOT about the "one eternal round" thing that Father God references quite frequently in scripture. And I can't help but feel so joyfully thankful that our Father would design our test to include such activities that move us ever so gently into doing what He is about! I mean, that's how it seems to me, anyway!

I do have a plan of attack regarding the yard. I'll try to remember to let ya know how it's working/worked out! :) So, far the seed of my planning is producing good fruit. Not only is the front yard looking mostly pretty (I don't yet have a hand tool for weeding... neither do I have any other kind of tool for that work), but dishes and laundry are basically caught up! Whenever this has happened in the past (I start to feel like I have things mostly under control, I mean), I end up preggie. So... here's hoping! ;) ^_^