Jewells of Thought

What comes to your mind when you mow? Do you think about what you want to eat later? Maybe about a disagreement with someone? Your to-do list for the rest of the day or week?

Mowing. This was a time to forget about problems. A time to just observe my surroundings and keep aware of my place in the outline of the grass. Sometimes the wind, the movement on the road going east or west, or the birds and dogs can be relaxing to watch.

Talking about animals, the outline of our yard has changed through the years. One of the major changes has been behind our old shed to the west. For a couple of short years we had Emus’s behind that old shed. We haven’t had them now for a very long time, but there was an outline of the fence we had up for them. You can hardly tell they were ever there sadly.

They live in our memories and pictures we have of them. Yet time and again memories come to mind as I mow in that area. Those possibly 5 feet tall creatures with pointy beaks, and long flightless wings. Union High School ate it up and even bused out students for field trips to see them. It was all so neat to show off these intriguing birds to my class and my brother’s classes.

As you can tell my brothers, cousins and I enjoyed our tall critters. I will have to expound on this later. I do definitely, have the pictures to show.

Back to mowing and memories though, I clarify my thoughts as I go back and forth among the grass. I can remember concocting lists about what I needed to do or how to put together the book I was working on. I had plenty of time mowing and sitting down to think of ideas for interviews or whatever was going on that day or week.

Wondering what my future would hold kept me wondering for what seemed like hours. Although our zero turn lawnmower, if two of us were mowing at the same time, took half the time it had before we got the 2nd mower. So hours were in fact cut, yet time could and still… stood for me at times while mowing. I would linger on thoughts of myself in the future. What would the future me-think of this grassy girl with a farm branded cap on my head with my ponytail hanging through it and maybe a little burnt depending on what day it was.

I sure never thought the farm would basically disappear on us and be a Farm Company mostly in name. Honestly, I never wondered if I would ever not be mowing. Now here we are not mowing except for ourselves.

Life is ever-changing!
Our memories are what ground us in difficult times. God-willing we will have them forever…