Working Hard AND Hardly Working

So...I'm not working these days, or I should say I'm not at work. I'm one month into a six-month sabbatical from my job. I have been employed for 21 years by a well-known roaster and retailer of coffee. This blog may ocasionally mention coffee...but it's not about coffee or my job. It's about what I'm doing while I'm not working.

I hadn't planned on doing a blog, but today I decided that I would, because of the Ryan Sod Cutter we rented. We actually rented two, because the one we started with was damaged in a freak sod-cutting accident.

Today was the day we decided to kick off an ambitous project in our yard. Bascially our plan is to remove all the grass and replace it with cool plants, groundcover and a new pathway to the door. As the day went on, it became clear that had a passerby asked Stacy and I if we were 'working hard or hardly working,' the only honest answer would have been 'both,' hence the title of my first entry. I'm pretty sure today's effort, on a blistering hot 87 degree day here in Seattle, yielded the most modest results possible relative to the effort expended. So modest, in fact that I now have an excellent argument for skipping the whole 'trying' thing should it arise in the future. I suspect the Professional Landscaper who's coming out tomorrow to give us an estimate on finishing the job will agree.

So, what is a Ryan Sod Cutter?

Let's be clear: Ryan is the First Name is Turf Renovation. (The second name will probably be Rainbow of Magnolia Landscaping and Design.) A sod cutter is essentially an immovable object powered by a gasoline engine. It appears to be mounted on two 'wheels' but the benefits traditionally associated with wheels were not evident. Here are some of its features, along with some comments based on our experience today:

• Good Balance, Easy Handling - Maximum traction and self-propelled action - 95% of the machine’s weight is on the knob tread drive wheels. I don't suppose they'd sell many of these is they were truthful here, since not many people would choose a machine that is 'prone to tipping and difficult to move.'


• Power for the Long Haul - Available with a 5.5-hp Honda® or a 6-hp Briggs & Stratton®; Built to last cast-iron gear case. We had the Honda. It did seem to have adequate power, but not all components are designed to withstand impact wtih our nieghbor's rockery. Also, for the record, I am more of a Briggs & Stratton man.


• Easy Depth and Blade Angle Adjustment for Varying Soil Conditions - Optional trenching and mole blade attachments. Whatever.


• Optional Tote Trailer for On-Road Trailer Use - Transports Jr. Sod Cutter, Lawnaire® IV and V Plus aerators. I don't think the trailer would have been much help, unless it came with a skilled Sod Cutting Professional.


• Choice of Sod Widths - Available in either 12” or 18” cutting widths. We went with the 12 inch. I think the larger model would have been a real mistake.

Why cut sod, and why now?

We chose sod cutting becuase it is purported to be an easier and quicker method for removing grass than using forks and spoons.

To answer the question with a tad less bitterness, removing the grass is something Stacy has wanted to do for quite a long time. I've generally thought it was a nice idea, because Stacy has done excellent landscaping in the parts of the yard she has devoted attention to. But it seemed like it would require either a lot of work or a lot of money. (Or, in the case of our approach, both.)

Stacy has worked a lot on the yard over the years, but the portion that is still grass, which I supose is technically my responsibility, isn't real exciting. It features quite a lot of moss and dandelions, both of which predate our moving in fifteen years ago, though they are thriving now to a degree greater than what our neighbors would prefer. The plan is to preserve the yard as a habitat for birds and squirrels, grow a few herbs and a bit of food, and generally replace the grass with mostly native plants. We also plan to have a proper walkway (likely an offset series of concrete steps) put in from the street to the front door, along with some lighting. This will make life better for pizza deliverymen, so it's all worthwhile.

What next?

There are still a few details to wrap up, such as the final bill from the Hertz Equipment Center in Ballard. The mechanic will be in tomorrow to assess the damage to the first unit we rented. It basically tipped over on some rocks. It may or may not have fallen a foot or so. I know I jumped down into neighbor's yard to avoid injury. It may or may not have fallen down there too. It seemed like it did, but Stacy disagrees and we're both pretty sure we wouldn't have been able to lift the thing if it had. Apparently there are plastic parts inside the sturdy metal cover that protects that rope you pull to start it. There were no injuries.

The Professionals will be here tomorrow to finish the job, and also to do some work on the big tree in the front yard, which is thankfully healthy but in need of some help.

We won't begin planting for a while, as we have to work on the soil a bit. We aren't planning on renting a tiller.