Tennessee is known as the volunteer state. This is quickly becoming crystal clear to me. The fire department is all volunteers. The chatter around town usually has something to do with volunteering at a church function. So it didn't surprise me when my father told me that some young guy comes by a couple of times during the year to cut the 4 acres of grass that we allow to grow out of control.
My job of mowing the lawn, done weekly, takes about an hour an a half. I put on my pink rain boots that have little brown horses on them, a wide brim straw hat, and the least amount of clothing possible so I don't get strange tan lines. My little tractor has all kids of fun things that you can attach to the back, most of which I don't know how to use, let alone rig up on the thing. I'm still a bit too girly for that nonsense and don't want to break a nail. There are two cup holders which was the selling point for my father when he bought it, only because he knew that was going to interest me. Now if it had air conditioned seats like my Lexus, I would be on that thing all day finding something to plow. It's quite fun to ride around on. The chore of mowing the lawn is not nearly as painful as one might think.
I was warned sternly the first time I set out on my chore to stay away from the tall stuff because Jeremiah will be by soon and that grass is for his cows.
As you drive up the 8 mile winding road to the house there are several properties that have fields of cows and rows of corn growing. It's beautiful and just like you would imagine a farm area to be. Frequently at least one of the properties will have giant tractors cutting the fields and then in the next day or two you will see these huge rolls of grass. Growing up we purchased rectangle blocks of alfalfa to feed our horses. We would stack them sky high and used them to build forts and jump off of. The grass rolls have a diameter of 4-5 feet. There is no way you would be able to lift one without heavy machinery and I don't see them being nearly as fun as the rectangles to play with. I guess they are more serious here and don't think of all the uses a child may have for the grass.
This morning I enjoyed my cup of coffee on the back deck. This has become part of my daily routine. I walked inside and upstairs to what is the third floor of the house and outside my window was this big green John Deere tractor parked next to the boat. In California I can't remember the last time I just showed up at a friends house. Even when stopping by my best friend Monique's I would send the courtesy text. Not the case here. People stop by all the time without calling. Thankfully I try to keep myself put together even if I have no plans to leave the house. We seem to get more random visitors daily. I welcome the company and it makes for something exciting on an otherwise dull day. It has made me think about life before caller ID. How children are growing up knowing what happens before it does. It was nice to pick up the phone not knowing who it would be. Worst case you pretended there was a bad connection and you hung up.
I called down to my father with hesitation in my voice, questioning and explaining the giant tractor outside. Without missing a beat he says in a chipper voice, "Oh! They must be here to cut the grass". I appreciate his enthusiasm but I still asked if he knew they were coming to which he responded, "Nope!", and it didn't matter that they hadn't called to let us know they were coming. I'm still getting used to the surprises.
The guy who came by today works for the "Really buff, twenty-something year old guy" who at this point is a mystery to me and quickly I've created his face in my head. Maybe it's better at this point that I haven't seen him. My father said that last time he was here, the neighbor's daughter came and road in the tractor with him as he cut the grass. He assumes they know each other from high school or something and explained that pretty much everyone knows everyone and their business here. I'm known as the girl from California who was on Food Network baking. My father was very proud to share that information and I'm certain that he's told everyone he has ever encountered about my 45 minutes of not talking on a competition baking show. If nothing else, I did have on a cute dress and cowboy boots.
The John Deere is the Bentley of tractors. I now realize I have the Smart Car version by comparison. In less than 45 minutes, the acres became perfectly lined rows of grass that will be rolled into giant bails later today or sometime tomorrow. The bails will be taken to some farm nearby and the cattle will enjoy food from my property. Some people hire gardeners to cut the grass. In the volunteer state, they do it for free and it benefits someone else. I think they're on to something here. I get to sit on the deck and wait with my dog Sadie for them to come back and roll the grass. Awesome!
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