THREW Mikes EyEz

Original Writings, Images, Video and Artworks of Mike Hartley

Music powered

Leave a comment

I’m going to use the music to provide some extra motivation today. I hope to crank out about 100 prints of a project that is well underway but needs a midway edit and review. Then as the sun rises and the yard dries, I’ll turn into Landscape Man and don my super work shoes (very old sneakers) and work shorts, a hat, and work on my tan while cutting, chopping, raking, shoveling, and sweating.

Start Me Up says the Stones. Photo by Mike Hartley

That is okay though, hard work does a body good. It does a mind good sometimes also. I love the riding mower, too much noise, and dirt to have a phone with me so I’m completely untethered and I’m off the grid. I can let my mind wander, I can lean back and soak up the rays, I can close my eyes and see if I can keep a straight line (difficult with some bumpy spots in my yard), I can watch my granddaughter waving as I complete each lap from her spot on the porch.

I finish that and grab the push mower for another hour of hill climbs in the backyard. That becomes a physical contest. It does keep my calves and thighs in shape. Finally, the string trimmer comes out and aggression is released. Then the relaxing hum of the leaf blower for a while to make things look finished.

That’s the good thing about physical work, you can always see your results. One thing about the professional job I always enjoyed and was a part of for some of my careers was having newspapers come off the press. It was when a lot of hard work came together in a physical product. Those days are numbered and many will never experience the joy of printing and publishing in the old ways.

Someone told me there is such a thing as remote-controlled mowers now. And when I looked it up there have been many over the last 5+ years. Geez, I must be getting old, I’m not keeping up with this stuff. Anyway, it won’t be of use to me. I like the physical part of it now and I hope it and other exercise keeps me young for a while.

Random Thoughts of the Morning

  • Dogs have a ton of love to share, and they need a lot of it in return.
  • It’s not even 9am and I have a craving for pizza.
  • I don’t have a photographic memory – therefore I take pictures.
  • In the world of tractors one is the James Bond of the group. Deere, John Deere.

Author: Mike Hartley

With a lifetime and a half in the Newspaper industry I'm preparing for my retirement career as an Artist, Writer, Photographer and Video content provider. I'm a proud father of two wonderful children and I'm still married to the first girl I fell in love with and probably only one that would have me.

Leave a Reply