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When it rains - The conclusion



The month of May for what ever reason seems to be passing slowly, but the year seems to be flying by.   Suddenly we are nearing the end of the month and I'm only now getting to work on the yard.  

I did go in search of an electric powered riding lawnmower, for the same reasons that I went in search of an electric car.   

Both searches failed, as the local hardware, lawncare and "big box" stores simply didn't carry any electric riding mowers.  I could have ordered an electric mower off of Amazon, or similar site, and had it shipped but then I would be looking at a two week delivery timeframe, and would have exceeded the budget that I had set for myself.

The grass, though high and feeding a variety of pollinators and other insects would simply not wait much longer.  Plus ticks are always a concern in Western PA at this time of year, and one way to control them is to keep your grass cut.   I had already had a few instances of dealing with ticks.

I did look at electric "push" mowers but again, and honestly I would not have minded actually working my way in and around the yard with such a device.   However my wife was not interested in helping me mow the grass and;  since we are both senior citizens now, and have had various health conditions and concerns in the past, the idea of using push mowers fell by the wayside.

So...sadly I had to accept a harsh reality.  

I would have to buy a gas powered lawnmower.   



It seems that it's one thing to have a belief in sustainability or a strong belief in following a certain moral compass, and in actually doing to.  I'm not disappointed in having to buy a gas powered motor, but I am disappointed in, what feels like another defeat in my one person quest to improve my small portion of the world.  

Country life is full of compromises that you make without even thinking about it till you live in the country.   A pick up truck is needed to haul something from point A to point B, but now you are dealing with lower gas milage.   A gun, which only serves one purpose, finds its way into the house and into your hand because you need to protect your animals or your property.   I was against owning a gun till a coyote was spotted in the area, and started to eat our neighbors chickens and cats.   I still am against owning a gun, but reached a cold calculated choice.  

Small compromises add up.  I've made a few, some which I regret making because I don't know if I compromised my principles or not.   Although some, I most certainly did.     

Can one still be true to oneself and some hard fought beliefs if forced to compromise, or even forced to break that principle due to circumstances?

The reason I wanted an electric lawn mower was simple.   I don't want to increase my carbon footprint any more than I have.  If there is some way for me to lower my gas consumption I want to do that.   If there is some way for me to lower the amount of CO2 and other greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, I want to do that.

It's important that I do that.   I know, that in the long run my efforts really will not matter, but that's not the point.  The point is that the effort has to be made, and lately....I don't believe I'm living up to those principles I espouse.  

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Location: Stoneboro, PA 16153, USA

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