It's So Hard to be Good

At the beginning of the summer I issued forth a challenge…the Push-Reel Mower Challenge. Remember that? I was going to try to mow our yard all summer using only a push-reel mower. It was a good and worthy challenge, some might even say a tantalizing one (okay, just me because I have no life). Unfortunately for the environment, I was not up to it. I only managed to use the push-reel three times this summer. I’m giving myself a grade of suck minus for this one, folks.

That’s the lowest grade I’ve ever gotten, and I gave it to myself.

Okay, so here’s the deal (get ready for the excuses). After I issued the challenge we found a house we wanted to buy and had to quickly put our house up on the market. We desperately needed to make the yard look more presentable so we wouldn’t be dealing with two mortgages. I think our push-reel does a good job mowing, but it’s not the tidiest way to go about getting the job done. Second, we went on vacation for two weeks. When we returned, we found a jungle awaiting us. Our dandelions were actually roaring. Out came the gas mowers once again. Third, the house we bought came with a lot of grass. Horror of horrors, we actually had to buy a riding lawn mower (well, we didn’t have to, but I would still be mowing today if we hadn’t). Before we took this drastic step, I tried mowing with the push-reel mower, hoping to use it in some areas - it didn’t work. The grass was too long. So I tried the push-gas mowers. Tragically, after an hour and a half I died (at least that’s what I told my husband), with most of the yard left to do.

I’d really wanted to be good to the earth, to conserve and nurture, but this was too much for me to handle! So what’s a girl to do? Granted, I kind of like whipping around on my riding mower now, though the hills are a bit daunting (that whole tipping over thing, you know), but I don’t want to keep this up. The rider mower (Bubba) uses a lot of gas. We needed a better solution, which I soon provided. It was an answer to all our problems and inspired by a genius that stunned even me. I said to my husband, "We must buy a goat."

He laughed at me.

So we didn’t buy a goat, but what we are going to do is create a huge vegetable garden, reduce the size of the yard where practical, plant a giant flower garden in a large space by the house, and fill in smaller areas around the yard with any plants we can find (preferably big ones). Plus, there’s one area we will probably only mow every other time. I’ll have my oldest boy do some of the mowing with the push-reel once the grass is down to a manageable length. We’re also composting like crazy to reduce our waste and to help us do all this gardening we’re planning to do. I even set up a clothesline of sorts in our laundry room so I can continue to hang clothes to dry instead of using the drier.

Can’t you see I’m trying! I’m really trying!

So how did your challenge go this summer? Hopefully better than mine. Did I disappoint you? I kind of disappointed myself. But all I can do now is move on and try to improve.

Or better yet, buy a goat.

The Challenge is On...

So far, so good, my fellow earth-lovers. I have mowed the lawn twice now with my push-reel mower and it actually wasn’t so bad. The grass looks good. It’s definitely still green and it’s shorter. I’m thrilled. The downside is that dandelions resist the blade with a ferocity that fits their feline name (at least the second part of it). They refuse to go down. I think I’m just going to have to use child labor to take those not so dandy weeds out. Edges are also proving to be a challenge, but I’m learning to just forget about them. So what if there’s longer grass here and there? Who’s going to notice it? On the plus side, this challenge is turning into a life lesson for me where my perfectionistic side is learning to lighten up. That which does not kill me, I remind myself, will only make me stronger.

I am getting very strong.

I also have an upcoming event… On Monday, June 2nd, at 4:00 I will be at the Barrington Public Library (that’s in NH, not RI) for a meet the authors gathering. I’ll be reading an excerpt from my book, along with two other young adult authors (who will be doing the same). I do hope that some young adults show up for us to meet and greet and not just the cleaning crew. Of course, if no one comes, I can always just blame it on the other two authors. You can’t do that when you’re going it alone. I hope they don’t read this blog.

Meanwhile, editing The Return to Anaedor is going slow. The weather is just too nice and there’s all that mowing to do. I’ll try to do better in the next couple weeks, but that sun is so alluring. I can’t help but heed its call. On the plus side, I’ve come up with several more book ideas. One can’t help but fantasize and imagine in this glorious weather!

Enjoy your Spring!

The Push-Reel Mower Challenge

Helping save the planet is one of the ways I try to contribute to the betterment of our world (by night I fight crime). I’m certainly not perfect about becoming more environmentally conscientious, but I’m working at getting better at it, step by step, day by day. Most of you reading this can understand that such a monumental task isn’t always easy as it can involve extra time, energy and effort, all of which many of us sorely lack. The nice thing is that the more you do these activities, the easier they become. The easier they become, the more things you can add to your list. Before you know it, you will be one eco-fabulous person.

And that, my friends, brings me to my challenge…

I call this the Push-Reel Mower Challenge because it’s going to involve you making an extra effort. For me, I’m literally going to use a push-reel mower…all summer. We have a fairly large yard and it takes me about 45 minutes to mow with a regular mower (also a push mower, but a gas one). My lawn may not look as good or as tidy, but I’ll be saving money, gas, the environment, and getting a good work-out all at the same time.

So what could you do for your summer, earth-saving challenge (cause you know you want to do it)? Well, you could hoist up a clothesline and hang your clothes to dry. You could start a compost heap. You could try to avoid driving your car at least two days a week, more if you’re a stay-at-home or work-at-home (these terms are not mutually exclusive, but you know what I mean) dad or mom like myself. You could join/organize a car pool. You could make or buy cloth bags and use those for your groceries instead of those deadly, fish killing plastic ones. Try tracking down and unplugging any electrical items you do not use on a regular basis (sticking to your own house - your neighbor’s doesn’t count) . Maybe you could even build a windmill.

Any other ideas? Pass them along and I’ll include them in future blogs. If you have any stories to tell about your challenge and want to share, send those along, too!

These are all things that take extra effort, but if you tell yourself it’s only for the summer, it might not be so bad. Who knows, you might actually grow to like it! Just remember, take baby steps. Choose one earth-saving task and give it your all. The earth, and future generations, will thank you for it!

Let the challenge begin!