I hate yard work!

Stage One of the Backyard Reclamation project has begun. We used to have a nice, well-kept backyard. Then a child was born and keeping the yard in perfect condition didn't seem quite so important. The years went by and another child was born, and it was really hot, and there was no working lawn tractor, and well, the list of excuses goes on and on. Finally, the shame of being the neighborhood deadbeat wore me down. It's one thing to have a non-running vehicle sit in the driveway for years - it's a totally different thing to have grass and vegetation grow so thick and tall that it obscures the 12' tall shed in the yard.

So it was time to cut the jungle. Here are some "before" shots.

 And here are the "After" shots.

I know the after photos may not take your breath away, but I'm very pleased. You see, I was able to borrow a tractor and mow for five long hours. The grass was not only tall but also very thick. If I had not had use of a tractor I would have had to walk super slowly though that mess with a push mower. All the while watching the ground for snakes. And I HATE snakes. My hate of snakes is so strong that it makes Indiana Jones look like a loving herpetologist. 

As you can see from the fence on one side and the shed roof on the other, my neighbors have not set the yard maintenance bar very high. Low as the expectations are, I still need to do a lot of work to reach it!