Mowing, mowing, mowing

Yesterday, Summer and I put a cooler with ice and drinks and a pizza in the trunk; we put the insect repellent in the front seat.  We headed up to Mother’s for a few hours and, as it worked out,  Summer was introduced to driving the Wheel Horse – the 12 horsepower one. I was on a bigger one and Mother rode the one that looks more like a cart.

Summer did quite well – of course, she is almost 13. We put her in gear, showed her the brake and let her make big ovals. She really liked it, although she did notice that my tractor was and 18 horsepower model and went pretty darn bouncy fast. In fact, several times I felt myself sliding off the seat as I made a turn. It was my first time on that mower, but I did pretty well – after all, I am almost 61.

The three of us mowed out back for a little over an hour. During that time we noticed Oakley Grey was also using a tractor mower up at the old schoolhouse. He waved. The “old schoolhouse” reference can be confusing to some and so we didn’t use the term with Summer. You see, the three story brick schoohouse was torn down two or three decades ago. We still say things like: Oh, it’s by the old schoolhouse; he lives across from the old schoolhouse; the fog is so thick I can’t see the old schoolhouse.

Anyway, when the three mowers were gathered at the mound (which does exist), Mother checked the gas and we decided to move Summer up to the cart mower which has a CLUTCH. She would mow in the center of the east section and I would chug around the bouncy, bouncy oddly-defined edges comprised of fence sections, trees and really big shrubs. For this I used the 12 horsepower Summer had been riding – I think she liked it better now that I no longer had the element of speed, which she had envied. Except for having my hat knocked off by a determined branch, we got it finished up.

Summer had fun mowing but her face soured a bit when I told her she would have to get a couple of years experience under her belt before she did the big tractor. But, hey, she came around okay when I pointed out that Quentin had mowed with the 12 and when I growled that when I was her age, I mowed with a reel mower. We had to explain that to her.

I have pictures but I can’t find my white transfer cord right at this moment. I KNOW I just saw it. And, Der Bingle, we have FLIP video of Mother explaining the workings to Summer. One little tidbit she added as an aside to me: “Your dad said you don’t want to fill this tank (the 12) all the way. I don’t know why, but I don’t.”

One thought on “Mowing, mowing, mowing”

  1. The family that mows together glows together……. usually from sweat. 🙂
    It actually sounds like it was a most lovely day.

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