Not quite a native Ripley Countian - she attended only her last year of high school in Doniphan though she taught in the R-1 system for 32 years - Teresa (Pearson) Lee delights in surprising readers and herself with anecdotal observations of life in general. Maybe you can blame her St.Louis roots for a quirky humor and some slightly-askewed opinions, but never doubt she writes from the heart.

Mowing - A Core Challenge

Posted Tuesday, July 4, 2023, at 7:06 AM

It’s not technically summer, but I couldn’t wait until the solstice in June to cut my grass, much as I would like to see the other wildflowers that might spring up - for pollinating purposes you understand. They take turns appearing on the summer stage, and I’ve noticed butterflies, bees and a hummingbird or two flitting around their blossoms as well as around the potted flowers I have here and there.

With the cooler temperatures and sunshine, I had no excuse to procrastinate longer. Weedeated first - two batteries worth - on uneven ground with my gum boots on, just in case a slithering critter raised a head to see the source of the disturbing commotion. I’m a mite clumsy barefoot carrying a glass of tea, so the whole process is a concentrated study in maintaining my balance and working my core. (That’s the chore. The actual yard work is not.)

Then I had to be kind to my thighs and triceps and rest. A couple of days. The weather was still cooperative so I began my slow-motion mowing, again with gumboots on and senses on alert. Were I counting, I’d get lots of steps in with two batteries worth of cutting. Remembering to keep the batteries charged and mowing often I can get the yard ready soon enough to fire up the riding mower later during actual summer.

I’m not a fan. My battery-operated equipment is lighter and quieter than gas-powered ones, so I can hear my mind think. The thoughts themselves can be entertaining, but noticing the paths they take is just as curious.

I recalled once upon a time buying one of those sauna suits to wear during housework, to supposedly get my pre-pregnant shape back. It DID make me sweat, but I’d much rather have a workout mowing than pushing a vacuum and doing laundry wearing one of those oddities. It didn’t work. That pre-pregnant figure never returned, either due to faulty premise or wearing the suit only once, or life.

Depending on the source, we’re either in for a five-year heat wave or a cooler-than-average summer. Either way, I’m going to enjoy my core challenges and mowing steps and the occasional noisy ride. It’s okay with me if time slows its pace to match mine.

(For May 10, 2023)