Today was \u2018weed-whacking day\u2019, since the weather was a bit cooler than before (high today around 75F). <\/p>\n
My home\u2019s lot size is quite small. The back yard, at it\u2019s deepest part, is less than 27 feet deep. That lot edge drops off into about a 40 foot drop to a 15 foot wide flat \u2018common area\u2019 below. From that point, there are berry bushes and a forested area below that.<\/p>\n
Along the north-east corner of my lot, there is a less steep drop off to another \u2018common area\u2019. That area, between my house and the next one, was apparently not \u2018buildable. Although the common areas belong to the Home Owners Association (which is quite active around here, since most owners are retired folks like me), the areas in back of my house are not maintained by the HOA\u2019s landscape contractor. So I get to do it.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not a bad gig. The area is quite pretty; the berry bushes attract a small herd of deer (along with local residents picking the Marion berries), and the forested area in back means that I don\u2019t have any backyard neighbors. A first \u2018whack\u2019 of the area in spring takes 4-5 hours, and then another one is needed in summer, which takes about half the time.<\/p>\n
It is a bit challenging though. There is a slope to much of the area that is probably up to 65%. So I have to be careful about foot placement as I attempt to cut down the weed growth. <\/p>\n
Previously, I\u2019ve used standard work boots, which have a fairly smooth sole. Today, I decided to use my trail-walking shoes (there are lots of nice old-forest-road-trails around here; I don\u2019t walk on them as often as I should) because there is bit more \u2018tread\u2019 in the shoes. I figured that I\u2019d gain a bit of traction on the hills with the trail shoes.<\/p>\n
And it was a bit better. I am careful about foot placement, making sure that one foot is secure before I move the other foot. I get my feet situated, ensure that I am stable, then use the gas weed-whacker to cut the area that I can reach. Then, repeat.<\/p>\n
This works OK on the less steep slopes, but I was working on a section that was quite steep \u2013 that 65% slope. The ground is weeds and dirt with a few rocks. I was cutting on the downhill side of my position, and slipped. <\/p>\n
And took a nice slide down the hill for about 30 feet. I did manage to flop back on my butt, and pointed my feet downhill, and was able to stop just short of a big rock at the bottom. It was quite fun. Mostly.<\/p>\n
I sat there for a minute, then got \u2018back up on the horse\u2019, finishing off the rest of the area that I could get to. There is still one small section on the steep part of the hill that is not cut. But I suspect it will stay that way.<\/p>\n
I could probably set up a harness and rope thing and use that to cut the rest of the hill. But, probably not worth the effort.<\/p>\n
So I\u2019ve got most of the weeds taken care of. There may be one more session in the fall. <\/p>\n
But the slide was an interesting part of the day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Today was \u2018weed-whacking day\u2019, since the weather was a bit cooler than before (high today around 75F). <\/p>\n
My home\u2019s lot size is quite small. The back yard, at it\u2019s deepest part, is less than 27 feet deep. That lot edge drops off into about a 40 foot drop to a 15 foot wide flat \u2018common area\u2019 below. From that point, there are berry bushes and a forested area below that.<\/p>\n
Along the north-east corner of my lot,<\/p>\n