Sweet Music of the Lawn Mower

Sometimes it takes a special event to snap out of a long blogging hiatus. Well, today was something of a landmark in the only father-son relationship in our house. I was out mowing when Ian came up to me. Whether or not he was in fact prompted by his mother I neither know nor care because some of my favorite words came out of his mouth, "Hey Dad, need any help?"

"Sure can you fetch me the gas can?"

It was high on a shelf, and I almost went to go help him, but then he came beaming around the corner, gas can in hand, and I thought, "Onward and upward, today." I had just asked him whether he wanted to push the mower, and he had just said yes, when there was a quick interruption. My dear wife is a little squeamish about these things and needed me to come in and help Eliza, who this morning was suffering a freak stomach bug complete with shakes and vomiting.

Porcelain intimacies all complete, I came back out to find Ian waiting faithfully next to the mower. (Unheard of, if you don't know him.) Before long, he was happily running the mower back and forth across the grass.

So for today's mowing, the new responsibility and the joy of eating up the long grass was its own reward. Look at the smile.

What a joy to watch him pitch in with such enthusiasm. It won't be too long, I'm sure, before we start to pay him for lawn mowing, but today was special. He's also learning a skill that can earn him his own real money. Adventures to come...

Sometimes, at night, when you pass by a spirited little daughter who is now sleeping peacefully, there's nothing to do but lie down next to her and relax into the moment. Chances are, if you do, your wife will find you and snap a photo after you've drifted off...

Then, the next morning, when your wife leaves you at home alone with the kids while she goes off to work for a couple of hours, do you take advantage of the opportunity? Do you overcome the depressive call to stay home and do nothing? Yes! You do! You round up the kids and the neighbor boy and sally forth to meet the day, with bo-staff, sling shot, and ...


 

Hello Kitty boots! Down into the depths of Shoal Creek you go, in search of excitement, adventure, and really cool things. What do you find?



You find there is a creek to dam, puddles to stomp through, litter to collect, secret forts to make, crystalline rocks to collect, mini-waterfalls to watch, mud patterns to watch swirling through the water, sunshine to enjoy (good thing it was back into the 70's today), and a man from the USGS to meet who was working on the local water monitoring station. 

On a day like today, you can breathe deeply and let the sunshine and fresh air sweep away the cobwebs in your soul that come from too much time spent indoors.