Sunday, July 20, 2008

How to save money on mowing

Rick posted this to the RetrainTB's Yahoo Group and got a lot of comments.  I guess we were not the first to think of this.  :)
 
 I have about a half acre to mow and now that gas is 4.00, that gets expensive too, so here is the plan that cuts mowing from once a week to once a month, (saving about 6 gals or 24.00, not to mention Tires, oil ,blades, and misc. wear and tear on riding lawnmower.  That will buy rice, or beans or ramen for two weeks.
1.  Close gate to yard.
2.  Open gate from pasture.
3.  Ask a group of horses to come into yard and chase out the ones who are fighting with each other (next time pick a smaller group).
4.  Explain that they need to help "earn their keep" by mowing and fertilizing  the yard (most will do this willingly once they understand the need).
5.  Appologise profusely to wife for fruit tree damage.
6.  Hurriedly erase horse tracks from flowerbeds and front porch.
7.  Remind wife "you are saving money".
8.  Straighten chain link fence.
9.  Get horse out of garage because child left garage door open.
10. Remove the "present" left by horse on welcome mat.
There you are done with mowing for another week.
Rick left out the good part.  The fruit tree was apple.  :P  So they just ate thier treats.  :)  More like used it for a scratching stick.  (Note to self:  Buy a bigger apple tree next year!)  The peach tree survived.  :)
 
And the best if our one ex racer who thinks the tops and nice yellow blooms on the tomato plants were planted just for him.  I put up a electric fence this year after the strawberries got eaten.  :P  Flag also thinks the above ground pool is his special water bucket.  He likes that it is just the right height and he doesn't have to bend to drink.  Course the really bad part is he washes out all that wonderful mowing substance and the kids get a pool with green floaties.  :P
 
Anne got the one that likes the front porch so much.  That silly appy has no fear.  Walked right up to a running wood chipper, sniffed it, waltzed through the flowerbed wondering why we were putting mulch on it and then walked right up on the porch like a danged dog.  Luckily it is concrete.  :)
 
Son of Mariah was weeding my flowerbeds last weekend.  He took special effort to leave the zinnas.  I guess they didn't taste good.  :)  I gave up trying to grow sunflowers.  I guess that what I get for putting them in their feed.
 
Still trying to catch up on email and so many other things.  Hope you have a wonderful week!
 

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