“My Lawn Is Haunted”

It’s been a minute since my last post. I’ve had plenty of ideas but I’ve been so busy that I couldn’t find the time to sit down and write. Mind and body being pulled in several different directions.

If you have followed along for the past several years, you know that I appreciate a well manicured lawn. I didn’t have my own growing up so I quietly envied my friends and neighbors who did. So now that I have my own little corner of the world, I like to see it maintained properly. But, something strange is happening in my yard…..

A couple of years ago we had a few trees removed from our backyard leaving the ground bare with no grass in sight. We got estimates from a few local landscape companies and could not believe the prices they were charging to seed or sod our property. One company wanted to charge twenty five hundred dollars just to come out for an estimate. Another wanted to charge forty one hundred dollars to put down sod. Okay I’ll do it myself.

After 3 dump truck loads of dirt and 2 dump truck loads of topsoil I decided to lay down the grass seed. I used a combination of Scotts Fast Grow and Pennington Sun and Shade. And then something funny happened. About a week thereafter my wife came to me and said,  “I think I see grass growing in the backyard”. No she didn’t. It couldn’t be. But guess what? She was right. Grass was growing in my backyard. Within about three weeks a piece of land that was totally bare after once having about thirty trees on it was now full of grass.

You know the saying be careful what you wish for? I had wished, hoped and prayed that I could get my grass to grow since I had chosen to do it by myself. I had never done landscaping of this scale so I did not know what to expect. Man did that grass grow. And continued to grow. And it’s still growing. Fast.

Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate having a nice full lawn. However, the grass seems to grow at an alarmingly unusual rate. The more I cut, the faster it grows. I’ll cut it on a Saturday. By Monday afternoon when I come home it’s twice as long as it was before I cut it. I’ll cut it on a Wednesday. By Friday it’s right back where I started. I’ll look out the window and say hey man I need to cut that grass. It seems to grow overnight. No sooner than I say that it seems to grow inches longer. If I didn’t know any better I would be convinced that the grass actually grows right before my very eyes. Nothing seems to keep it from growing. Through rain or sun, through heat or cold, it just grows as if it has a mind of its own.

Two days ago I cut my grass at a height a quarter inch shorter than usual. Today it looks like I never touched it. There is always something in my yard that I haven’t put there. I often hear strange noises behind my back when I’m trying to finish my work. I’m beginning to wonder if my lawn is haunted.

“Part Two: I Am Still Relaxed”

In a previous post, I wrote about having to go to the dentist
and dealing with the stress of it. I stated that I felt fine. I didn’t feel any stress, but my blood pressure check showed otherwise. Well, today I went back for the follow up.

Blood pressure was fine averaging about one thirty over eighty five. Good. Get to the dentist office. I’m feeling fine. The hygienist checks my blood pressure: way too high. So I wait the obligatory five minutes once again. Finally it settles down.

I just want to stress (no pun intended) again the importance of managing your stress. I felt fine. My breathing was fine. I was relaxed as I thought I could be and still my blood pressure indicated otherwise.

So make sure you manage your stress and your blood pressure for a better quality of life.

“The Beautiful Days”

All of my life I’ve spent so much time looking out of a window

While all of my thoughts move around in my mind with each direction the wind blows

In so many ways……

On the beautiful days

Reminiscing about the places I’ve gone can’t recall all the faces

Wonder how long will the journey go on living with the time that God graces

In so many ways……

All the beautiful days.