NEWLY MOWED GRASS

 Ah, the sweet smell of newly mowed grass ... it always gets to me....

It brings back memories of our lawn after Daddy mowed it. My older sister got to mow it sometimes, and then, finally, I was allowed to push the lawn mower. It was fun. It was hard to get the mower rolling, but wow, once I got it going I didn't want to stop -- I loved making a pathway in the grass.

I had to stop .A twig got stuck in the cutter blades. I had to figure out how to get it unstuck. Almost immediately, it  happened again, and again -- twigs, pebbles, more twigs.

With all the stopping and starting, mowing became a big chore. I was glad when my sister told me, "You aren't strong enough to mow the lawn, Em."

Even so, that sweet-sweet smell -- it meant summer, no school, long days with me free to figure out and do whatever I was in the mood to do.

Free -- what a feeling -- that feeling as if every day were Sunday. It made me aware of time passing quickly, grass re-growing so quickly, needing to be mowed, which meant soon -- too soon -- the summer would end and the wonderful green would turn yellow and brown.

Yes, newly-mowed grass means green, sun, sweat, blue sky, sleepy wonderful freedom. I no longer remember who said I had to learn to rake it up. Raking the remnants wasn't fun; mowing wasn't really fun -- neither was raking. Fun was in the precious, sweet smell.

I got too-too busy for a long time, and didn't see or smell any grass. And now, though I never see newly mowed grass, I remember -- oh yes, I do remember, that sweet, sweet, sweet smell and it still gives me a powerful feeling that has to do with loving nature for giving me the gift of grass -- taking it away -- giving it back to us every year.