TYING A RECORD!

“...a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted...” (from Ecclesiastes 3:2)

Today I tied a record! The LATEST in the season that I’ve ever mowed my lawn is December 2, 2001. That day was very warm. In fact the high temperature in the Boston area on December 2, 2001 was 72 degrees. I never thought I’d cut the lawn THAT late in the season again. Today, December 2, 2008, I did! No, it was not 72 degrees outside. In fact, it was probably more like 47 degrees, but it WAS “partly sunny”.

For anyone living in San Deigo, California, or Miami, Florida or someplace like that, I know that cutting your lawn on December 2 is no big deal. But in suburban Boston, Massachusetts it is a VERY big deal! We’ve had no accumulating snow yet here in Framingham. Usually the first flurries fall around November 7 and the first accumulating snow can be anywhere from November 14 to November 30. My final mow of the lawn for the season is usually around November 11 or 12. I last cut the lawn right around October 31. Of course, I’ve filled 30 big green trash bags with leaves since that time. (I take them over and dump them in a brushy, woodsy area of the periphery of the church property.)

I don’t think my first mowing of the lawn for the season has ever been before March 17, and usually it’s more like April 2, so it will probably be awhile before I cut the grass again. Even so, cutting a lawn beat shoveling snow any day!