Die Mower, Die!

Is there anything more frustrating than a lawn mower that won't start? You push the little button to prime the engine exactly 3 times, just like it says. You pull the cord, and nothing.

Not a darn thing.

You pull and pull and pull and pull and pull.

And nothing.

So you push that button a few more times. Still nothing.

You drag your son out to help you hold the bar down while you pull the cord.

Still nothing.

That darn thing never did start. Even after I kicked it.

It did work just fine a few week ago. It had been parked on the porch all winter. Hubby decided he needed to start it "just to make sure it still worked."

While it was sitting on the foam puzzle mat for the playhouse.

Oh it worked alright. Chopped that mat right up.


Since I couldn't mow the lawn, I decided I would do things backward and try out my new trimmer.

My mom send me a gift card for a new trimmer. She told me how much she loved her electric one and after some discussion I decided that's what I would get. I was initially worried that the battery would die or make it weak, but she assured me it worked on her (huge, enormous, country) yard.

So I picked up this Black & Decker GrassHog Trimmer Edger. Fancy Fancy.

I've never actually used any kind of trimmer before....I was afraid of my father in law's....it requires a strange combination of oil and gas to run. Plus you have to knock the thing repeatedly against the ground to make the string come out. No thank you.

Now this new wondrous piece of yard equipment...the string feeds automatically. It comes with two little rechargeable batteries. Easy as pie.

I'm not great on planning in advance, so the battery didn't get fully charged before I yanked it off there to try the thing out.

It was so great! I love it! I got my whole backyard done (front yard has to wait until nap time tomorrow). Then I'm going to use that edger thing and edge everything. My walks, my gardens. Everything. My yard is going to be as neat and trim as the Catholic church up the street.

Once I get rid of all those stinkin' dandelions that is.

I also planted both my strawberry plants and my peas. I know, it's late. But we've been having some really un-spring like weather up here and I didn't want my little plants to freeze.

The strawberries....I'm not so emotionally attached to them. I bought a little box of plants at Lowes for 3.97. If they grow, great. If they don't....eh, we'll try next year.

But my peas....my baby peas that I've nurtured from seeds. The first seeds EVER to grow in my house into actual plants that could be planted in the ground. I'm so scared for them.

I built them a cute little tee-pea (get it?) with a bamboo and string trellis to climb up. Then I planted them out there and left them to fend for themselves. Wind, rain, hungry cats, grabby kids. It's just not safe out there. The backyard can be a very scary place for peas.