It is just about high summer at the farm, and the encroaching vegetation is peeping through the fences and the weeds are coming up in the gravel driveway and the white stone Zen garden in the front yard. Well, it had been a Zen garden. Now the white is getting mostly covered by ratty green.

I pulled some of the more objectionable ones yesterday- including a savage invasive vine that is armored with thorns and prickers and has no redeeming qualities whosoever. It had been left to itself for a couple seasons after I bought the place in ’08, and by the time I really noticed it, the thing threatened to devour the side of the house in an act of unbridled fertile malevolence.

It was prehistoric, almost fairy tale impenetrable stuff that would surround Sleeping Beauty’s abode.

The assault on the thing required gloves and industrial shears sufficient to cut padlocks. I learned several lessons on that one- and the snarl of angry thorns clutched at sleeves and dragged other savage

I saw that there was an evil tendril poking out from under the front deck, a survivor offshoot of the beast. I ripped it from the earth, which was nicely softened by the brisk rain that accompanied the stately procession of Hurricane Arthur off the coast. It only bit me a couple times as I slew it.

I plucked weeds until my arthritic knees couldn’t handle the stoop labor. I had not cut the fields for a couple weeks and the diversity of what grows out there is remarkable, and surprisingly tall. I decided on a two-phased assault: get the Tiger out and knock down the pastures and the front lawn, do what I could on the back of the house and reserve the trimming for Sunday.

Cruising around on the Tiger is a splendid way to spend the day. I remembered to wear my ear protection, but should have worn safety goggles. Another trip to Lowe’s Big Box, I thought, with an increasingly long list of things to buy.

It was a delightful day. I had a ballgame going and Roots radio on Satellite radio. I fired up the JG’s car to keep the fluids circulating and battery charged and unpacked the Husqvarna 224L 25cc Straight Shaft Trimmer.

I marveled at the number of ways I am discovering to damage either property or personnel. In fact, when I hung the Tiger up on an ornamental rock near the Zen garden I discovered I could actually get the front wheels to come off the ground and felt the center of gravity tilt ominously astern.

But it was all OK, nothing broken on man or machine.

Now for the adventure of the trimmer. My landscape guy managed to hurl rocks through the storm door not once, but twice, trying to get things all neat and tidy in front. I bet I can get in real trouble with the weed whacker. Wait a minute. Safety goggles. Are there some in the garage? Or it is off to Lowe’s before I even get started?

But hey, that is what afternoons in the country are all about, right?

Copyright 2014 Vic Socotra
www.vicsocotra.com
Twitter: @jayare303