Grass (Photo credit: DBduo Photography)
The man who does my lawn maintenance is going on vacation. I live on the coast of Mobile Bay in Alabama and even though we are in a drought, the grass grows right before your eyes. I’m not kidding. With no rain to speak of, I can hear it growing. I fear that by the time he returns, he will not be able to find us, the grass will have grown so tall.
How tall can it grow, you ask? Well, I envision this after one week. I let my dog Quigley out to the back yard and when he steps off the patio, he disappears. Do you remember the scene in Jurassic Park 2 where they enter the long grass and you can see the raptors moving through, getting closer to the group. That visual of them weaving trails is what I picture happening in my own backyard.
Can you imagine running into this! Look at his eye. I swear he is daring me to come outside and play.
Quigley will enter this jungle and the only telltale signs of his passage will be the waving grass as he tunnels through my backyard.
My mother is here visiting and she likes her afternoon dip in the pool. By now the grass has grown so tall, you can’t even see where the pool is. I got her one of those poles with a flag on top, you know, the ones they use for corn field mazes, so if you get lost they can find you. I can see the flag above the grass and when she is done swimming I can direct her back to the deck.
Maybe I am exaggerating a little. Maybe there aren’t any Raptors prowling in my jungle. I just hope my lawn care guy isn’t on an extended vacation or who knows what will be out there when he gets back. For now, I await his return and listen carefully for signs of movement when I open my back door.
I dedicate this to my sister Nancy, who braved the backyard. She still hasn’t returned!
For episode 2: http://wp.me/p27ipo-bQ
For episode 3: http://wp.me/p27ipo-cq
For episode 4: http://wp.me/p27ipo-d6
Final Episode: http://wp.me/p27ipo-dE