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Changing Landscape

May 12, 2016

The Mama was quite proud of her lawn. Green. Manicured. Weedless.

When she no longer could take care of the lawn, she hired a lawn guy, which was a great luxury for the Mama. When that got too expensive, she sighed and accepted that the lawn would be cut during my monthly visit. Then, when the Husband and I moved in with the Mama, the lawn became the Husband's job.

As the drought became a real thing, watering the lawn was a luxury, as well as an ongoing skirmish between the Mama and me. The Husband continued watering it, but not as often or as much. The Mama took to watering it when we were gone, if she felt the lawn was fading.

I was very happy when the City finally decreed a water rationing and a $500 fine for using too much water. "You have to decide," I said to the Mama, "water for your vegetable garden or the lawn. You can't have both for now."

The lawn faded. The Mama sighed. The Mama complained. Fortunately, the lawn came back after the winter rains.

We had a steady rainy season this past winter. The lawn was thick with greenness. The Mama was very happy. "I wish the lawn would be green like this all the time," the Mama often said to us, as she looked out the window while we ate lunch.

I'm glad the lawn thrived for the Mama as her body was winding down.

Only nature has watered the lawn since the Mama has left us.

The Husband and I like a green lawn, too, but to have one when our water source is depleting is simply not a good idea. In May we planned to hire someone to pull out the lawn so that we could put in a drought-resistant landscape. This and that, and that and this, put that plan down on the list.

More than two weeks ago, on the Mama's birthday, I dug out a small portion of the lawn and planted three of the Mama's overgrown potted jade plants. Yesterday, I dug out a bit more of the lawn, which is how it will be, a little bit at a time. I've already heard other plants of the Mama's saying they'd like to hang out on her once-upon-a-time lawn.

While I was working yesterday, I saw and heard crows cawing and watching me from across the street. I like to think that the Mama's spirit was saying, "It's your lawn now. Do what you want. It looks good."

September 12, 2016



Comments

  1. Hello, green grass is pretty but a pain to cut. There other fun things to do than cut grass anyway. I hope the drought is over soon. My hubby planted pine trees just for the pine needles to kill the grass. Happy Tuesday, enjoy your week ahead!

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    1. I like the idea of planting a pine tree then. I have it in my mind to plant olive, apricot, and fig trees. I don't know how long this ornamental tree will remain. It has already given up three baby shoots. I wonder if we can fit in a pine tree.

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  2. What a lovely home! You make fantastic choices . . . bet those crows were cheering you on. love & love, -g-

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, G. I like to think that was what the crows were doing. :-)

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  3. Bless the Mama. And your lawn. I am in a similar situation, looking out at another's green lawn - now mine - and glad she enjoyed it

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  4. It's tough to keep a lawn green. My hubby dug up the whole front and he wanted to put rocks there but I don't like that look so we had a little tete et tete and we will have lawn again:) your home looks inviting and it will look wonderful

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    Replies
    1. I'm thinking of covering bare patches around the plants with rocks -- whatever I find around the yards and along the dried river bed. The lawn that doesn't get dug out will probably come back when the winter rains begin, which is fine with me. I'm in no hurry. I might want some lawn in the back. Maybe.

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  5. Looking like a front yard ought to in a climate such as yours. :) ... I just finished mowing ours, and hopefully it will be the last time for the year ... If we owned the place rather than renting all that grass would've been long gone and we'd have an edible forest out there. :)

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    Replies
    1. Our neighbor three houses down has an edible garden in his front yard. Artichokes, fig tree, chard, and other stuff. We thought about doing the same but I didn't like the idea of car fumes falling over the veggies. We may put a fig tree in though.

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Thanks for the good cheer. :-)

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