Backyard Jungle

Today I cut the yard as I have done for almost ten years now. I have about eight different patterns that I cut into the yard. As I cut the yard today, I thought about my grandpa which I often do, since he would be cutting this same yard if he was still alive, of course he would be 94 years old and probably not cutting the grass but you know what I mean. He rode the lawn mower, which we as grandkids called "the tractor," and drank a Miller High Life while doing it. I remember sitting on his lap and he'd let me steer the tractor around the yard. I wonder if my brother has the same memories?

I had many adventures as a kid in this yard and now as an adult I still have adventures that I would not expect. As stated, I've been doing this yard work for a long time now and I never came across any wildlife but the occassional rabbit or robin following me and eating worms on spots I already cut. This summer, I actually counted my steps and on average, it takes 4050 steps to cut the grass and about 45 minutes to do the entire yard (not including the weed eating.) Today I saw a very overfed mouse hopping across the yard and I know where he came from - our mulch pile where we throw all our biodegradible compost. He was fat dumb and happy until he came across the garter snake. Yes ladies and gentlemen we have garter snakes, and I know because I caught one. He slithered across my mower path and he darted into a corner of the garden under a water spout. So I went and got the rake and picked him up after many attempts and dropped him into the composte heap. Let the carnage insue. As I tried to pick up this snake, he coiled and struck at the rake repeatedly and aggressively attacked the metal prongs. I have to give this little guy credit he was not getting picked up. I chased him around the yard to make sure he wouldn't get hurt and then got him coiled up on the rake prongs and tossed him a good five feet into the composte heep.

I had visions of Dan when we were little - one summer we caught about five garter snakes and kept them in a homemade cage in the back yard, they of course got out; one instance Dan caught one by the tail and ran in circles swinging it and yelling, "I got it, I got it!" until he let go and the snake flew through the air, I'm sure out of its mind and landed dazed with a thud and we put it into a Paul's Market Grocery bag and carried it home. What fond memories.