Takin’ back the yard

Summer is here; it’s hot and relentless but does little to retard drought tolerant plants and trees. So this summer, we decided not to keep the summer grass. Last year we watered, mowed, and edged. But the summer grass in Arizona is similar to ‘crab grass’ other places. The blades of grass are broad and rough. And did I mention that it grows at even the thought of any humidity? It wasn’t nice to play on for the kids so we didn’t do it this year. With that, I assumed that we wouldn’t have much yard care in the backyard this summer as there are only a couple of other bushes and two palm trees. I was crazy wrong!

First let me say that the house next door has been vacant for over a year. The backyard is completely filled with weeds of every sort. Recently they have even been spotted higher than our 6 ft block fence. So you can imagine; put that yard next door with a little wind, a little rain, and us out of town for almost 3 weeks. Yeah, a real disaster and the grass is growing but only in the rocks around the yard.

So, my mission is to regain control over Mother Nature; at least in our yard. It’s not easy (but yard work never is) because it will still be 100 degrees after the kids go down at 8pm. I’m sticking to working when at least the yard is in the shade. A hundred is better in the shade than in the sun; trust me. With any luck, this week will give me enough time in the evenings to get it done. Time to retake the jungle.

Elixir of Life

You ever wonder what it would taste like if you took a handful of fresh green grass, put it into your mouth, and began to chew? And not quickly like you were trying to just get it down, but slowly, savoring the essence of the grass? Well, I can’t say that I have ever really wondered about that or ever even wanted to try it. But I can imagine it.

You see, I’m a big fan of green tea. It’s great! Green tea originated in China and has become associated with many of the cultures in Asia. Green tea is different from black tea in that it comes solely from the leaves of Camellia sinensis, which have undergone minimal oxidation during processing. In contrast, black tea is stronger in flavor and caffeine due to its higher oxidation level. The oxidation process usually occurs in a temperature and humidity controlled environment. This is actually referred to as ‘fermentation’, although nothing actually ferments. The quality of the final tea product dictates the extent of oxidation that is required. As mentioned above, since green tea does not go through the fermentation process it has a milder flavor and a lower caffeine content (approx. 1/3 that of a similar volume of coffee). Consequently, the flavor is more delicate and usually will not retain its potency beyond one year, whereas black tea will retain its potency for several years.

My apologies, I digress. Anyway, green tea is high in antioxidants (good for you) and is believed to help lower your chances of heart disease and developing certain types of cancer [1]. Did you know that in China and Japan alone over 30 different types of green tea are commercially produced? Amazing! So, you know I like green tea. Well, I must have had a lower tier tea today. The hotel that I’m staying at (name removed to protect the ignorant) had green tea bags available at breakfast. In anticipation, I placed the bag into a cup and submerged it with a steaming mixer. After a few minutes of steeping, I took my first sip. WO! Not a good first impression. I finished the cup just the same. But I believe that I now have a better appreciation for ‘good’ green tea and how it would taste to steep a large handful of grass in a cup of water and drink it for refreshment. I’ll leave the grass to the cows.

The environment and my yard

We all hear about the environment and how delicate or resilient it is. Everyone has to form their own opinion and decide where they fit in. I'm not sure where I fit in. I recently watched Al Gore's documentary An Inconvenient Truth. I found it very interesting, but then again one of my favorite channels is the History Channel. That may not say much for me, but it is who I am. I was impressed by the evidence that we are having a dramatic impact on the earth. I have to admit that I visited the website that is the media base for the film, www.climatecrisis.net/. I checked other websites that had information about how to be 'carbon neutral' and other means of reducing my personal impact on global warming. The advice that is out there on the web is good. A large portion of it even viable. I don't have any problem doing something 'extra' to help the environment, but my primary motivation is not for the greater good. I could be described as 'frugal' or 'monetarily conscientious'. My wife just tells me that I'm cheap. It could all be true. However, when I can do something that will ultimately save me money, I am all over it. For example, Energy Star qualified appliances is a no brainer. You pay a little more up front for something that you were going to buy anyway. But you also get the added benefit of knowing that your electricity bills will be slightly lower because of it. Needless to say, all of the appliances that we have purchased have the little blue star symbol on them. I also have all compact florescent bulbs in our house. The models now a days are much better than before. The size is the same as your regular incandescent bulb and you can choose the type, or color if you will, of light that you want. I know, I know, you are saying "but those bulbs cost way more than regular bulbs". It's true. Anyway, I got thinking about of this today because I broke down and purchased a lawn mower and trimmer. We live in a dry climate and the amount of grass in our yard is limited to a patch about the size of a small swimming pool. I went to the local Home Depot and picked out a manual push mower. No engine, no gas, no cords, and no pollution. I am the motor. The trimmer, however, had to be powered by something else. So I choose electric. I got them both for about $110. I thought that it was a deal. I get some exercise, the yard looks good, I am not polluting the air with toxic emissions or noise, and best of all...it didn't cost much. I was thinking tonight, as I was trying it out for the first time, about when I was a kid and we only had a push mower. It was hard work when the grass got long, but I enjoyed it. Maybe that was my initial draw, but then it was cheap, and I am helping the environment.