OCD -Mowing Edition

[311boogieman]

I'm genuinely curious - you guys who have big properties in the acre + size: why do you keep it all in lawn?
Depending on your ecosystem type, why not make it a native prarie or forest? I.e. let grow what wants to grow there naturally? Keep a small lawn close to the house that you actually use.
Unless you have football games why do you need such a big mown lawn?
For most people it's just a hurdle of "what would the neighbors think", they'll think it's messy, they'll think I'm lazy, etc.
But if you explain to them that you're intentionally growing a meadow, you can change their thought process one house at a time.

A polyculture meadow is beneficial habitat for insects, birds, small mammals, and great for soil health. Less watering, less mowing (maybe once a year), and you can mix in some beautiful wildflowers as well for the wife

We design and install this type of thing quite often and our clients are always very happy. They need some water to establish and then almost no maintenance.

Just curious...

For me it is a mix of things. For one, I took over the property as is and it is beautiful to look at as is. For another, my cabin is surrounded by thick woods so there is already plenty of wildlife. Third, I love mowing period. At this place, after some trim work, it is mostly going around in circles until I reach center. D: I'm lucky that I don't have a lot of shitty bugs, so for me, there is no reason to invite more. 5th - I technically rent the property from a friend who owns a nearby resort, so if I don't cut it, the resort people will.

 

[Floyd Eye]

Thanks man, I appreciate it.
It is what it is..
He’s 91 and told me the other day when I was trying to get him to do something he did not want to do “I’ll still whip your ass”
He was half kidding and half not
We are circling the wagons and doing the best we can. He has always been a great father, I’m lucky he didn’t drown me when I was a pup

Went through this with my dad very recently. He died March 21st. He was 85.

Just a little while ago I was going through a couple envelopes he had that were stuffed with receipts and loan agreements from guns, guitars, basses and amps. Some of it was surprising. In 1976 he paid $99 for my '61' Fender Brown Deluxe. The music store didn't know what it was I guess. They had it listed as a Fender BL amp. Also I thought at some point in the 80s my dad bought my grandpa an Ithaca 37 Featherweight in 20 gauge because he was tired of watching the old man lug the heavy old JC Higgins bolt action 16 gauge around quail hunting. Turns out that happened in October 1967 about a year before I was born. The address on the paperwork was the flat on the south side they lived in when I was born. He bought it on payments. $19 a month. Total price was like $130.

Anyway, sorry to hear you're going through it brother. Just remember all the good times.

 

[JTyson]

Thanks man, I appreciate it

 

[JDs Couch]

For me it is a mix of things. For one, I took over the property as is and it is beautiful to look at as is. For another, my cabin is surrounded by thick woods so there is already plenty of wildlife. Third, I love mowing period. At this place, after some trim work, it is mostly going around in circles until I reach center. D: I'm lucky that I don't have a lot of shitty bugs, so for me, there is no reason to invite more. 5th - I technically rent the property from a friend who owns a nearby resort, so if I don't cut it, the resort people will.

Looks like a beautiful spot man.

 

[JDs Couch]

Went through this with my dad very recently. He died March 21st. He was 85.

Just a little while ago I was going through a couple envelopes he had that were stuffed with receipts and loan agreements from guns, guitars, basses and amps. Some of it was surprising. In 1976 he paid $99 for my '61' Fender Brown Deluxe. The music store didn't know what it was I guess. They had it listed as a Fender BL amp. Also I thought at some point in the 80s my dad bought my grandpa an Ithaca 37 Featherweight in 20 gauge because he was tired of watching the old man lug the heavy old JC Higgins bolt action 16 gauge around quail hunting. Turns out that happened in October 1967 about a year before I was born. The address on the paperwork was the flat on the south side they lived in when I was born. He bought it on payments. $19 a month. Total price was like $130.

Anyway, sorry to hear you're going through it brother. Just remember all the good times.

Sorry to hear about your pop Floyd. Mine died suddenly at 72. Just dropped dead from a heart attack in the hallway after coming home from a walk. This was about 3 years ago. It really threw me for a loop. Pretty healthy guy, but there was heart problems in the male ancestry going back a ways.

And @JTyson sorry to hear that man. It's not easy to deal with. I'm honestly not sure if losing a parent suddenly and unexpectedly is better or worse than a slow decline. Both are horrible. You're in my thoughts bro.

 

[311boogieman]

Acre after acre of lush forest, mostly white oak. Springs and spring fed creeks everywhere. My water at the cabin comes from a spring just a few yards away. I have an outdoor shower and 'kitchenette'.

 

[JDs Couch]

Acre after acre of lush forest, mostly white oak. Springs and spring fed creeks everywhere. My water at the cabin comes from a spring just a few yards away. I have an outdoor shower and 'kitchenette'.

Looks gorgeous man!

 

[Floyd Eye]

Sorry to hear about your pop Floyd. Mine died suddenly at 72. Just dropped dead from a heart attack in the hallway after coming home from a walk. This was about 3 years ago. It really threw me for a loop. Pretty healthy guy, but there was heart problems in the male ancestry going back a ways.

And @JTyson sorry to hear that man. It's not easy to deal with. I'm honestly not sure if losing a parent suddenly and unexpectedly is better or worse than a slow decline. Both are horrible. You're in my thoughts bro.

I think suddenly and unexpectedly is much worse. In my case we knew for a few years his time was short. He had dementia. By the time he died he wasn't the same guy. So we kind of had a few years to grieve while he was still there. It was harder taking care of him and especially on my mother, but..

 

[JDs Couch]

I think suddenly and unexpectedly is much worse. In my case we knew for a few years his time was short. He had dementia. By the time he died he wasn't the same guy. So we kind of had a few years to grieve while he was still there. It was harder taking care of him and especially on my mother, but..

Yeah, I've thought a lot about that in the years since he passed. Honestly I don't know. On one side you get the chance to say goodbye and everything you never said, and on the other you get to know that he didn't suffer, and you don't have to watch him fade out slowly. Of course I would give anything for more time with him.

This is why I implore @70 Mach 1 to take care of himself so he has a good long life with his family. That time is more precious than anything else in life.

 

[70 Mach 1]

This is why I implore @70 Mach 1 to take care of himself so he has a good long life with his family. That time is more precious than anything else in life.

Worry about yourself. If i wanted a democrat to worry about me ida voted for Kamala

 

[JDs Couch]

Worry about yourself. If i wanted a democrat to worry about me ida voted for Kamala

Ok, sounds good.

 

[VonBonfire]

Acre after acre of lush forest, mostly white oak. Springs and spring fed creeks everywhere. My water at the cabin comes from a spring just a few yards away. I have an outdoor shower and 'kitchenette'.

Clearly not a flat earth.

 

[Floyd Eye]

Looks gorgeous man!

And just a scant couple hours from the shithole known as St. Louis.

Southern Missouri is fucking awesome.

 

[VonBonfire]

Southern Missouri is fucking awesome.

Winter is all that stops me from that area.....I hate snow. I hate cold. It topped out at about 65 degrees here today. Yuck.

 

[Floyd Eye]

Winter is all that stops me from that area.....I hate snow. I hate cold. It topped out at about 65 degrees here today. Yuck.

It only lasts like 3 months bro. And compared to South Dakota our winter is basically summer with snow.

 

[VonBonfire]

It only lasts like 3 months bro. And compared to South Dakota our winter is basically summer with snow.

That's a month longer than here, which is two months too long already.

 

[311boogieman]

It only lasts like 3 months bro. And compared to South Dakota our winter is basically summer with snow.

This man knows what he is talking about. I spent 10 years in S. Dakota. Our winters are pretty mild. Plenty of days in December, and even January or February where it can get up to 70. I'd rather deal with a week or two of snow than that humidity you have down there. Unless you are far enough west?

 

[VonBonfire]

This man knows what he is talking about. I spent 10 years in S. Dakota. Our winters are pretty mild. Plenty of days in December, and even January or February where it can get up to 70. I'd rather deal with a week or two of snow than that humidity you have down there. Unless you are far enough west?

It's mostly not humid here unless it's been raining and that isn't often. But 90-100 is kind of normal IME. We had a real mild winter this year but tbh anytime it's under 80 degrees I'm dreaming about south Florida someplace.