If it weren’t for the spinning blades, roaring noise, splintering/flying wood and small-to-medium-sized-rock-projectiles…….

…..bush hogging would be relaxing…

…..there is the “white noise”…

…..but it’s drowned out by the ear-deadening grinding, chopping, and hacking of all of the hidden (and not-so-hidden) wind-fall and stuff on the ground.

…..at least the temperature is survivable this time of year…

…..I can get off & back on the tractor without searing my bottom on the sun-baked/cracked/vinyl seat…

~~~~~And Then There’s My Favorite Friend—–The PTO~~~~~

(I hate that thing)

(It hurts)

(My hand isn’t big enough to get around the bush-hog thingie that the PTO has to attach to…….)

(And my thumb isn’t strong enough to mash the button on that thingie that has to attach to it…….)

(And then I’m thoroughly exhausted physically/mentally/spiritually & emotionally by the time I start mowing)

………………………so, I whine & make Paolo do it………………………

There are so many safety warnings stickered all over the bush hog pan and revolving what-nots…

…..but what they don’t tell you is that even the safety features that are permanently soldered onto the equipment…hurt you too (well, inadvertently…..maybe).

For Example:  the tractor has a roll-bar and seatbelts (which I dutifully snap into place EVERY time I get into the seat………….honest………………………………….ahem)

Well, this roll-bar is welded there to protect you………………when you……………..roll the tractor.

BUT, back to the roll bar……..

…..it’s really a scoop…….

…..it scoops low limbs…….that I can successful duck under…….but IT grabs and pulls and pulls and keeps pulling on the limbs until they snap and then the heavy end falls on my head!!!

—–Now, I ask you…….just how safe is THAT!?!—–

—–It’s NOT!—–

So it’s there, when I’m rev’ing out of sink holes……..but is it there to help me or kill me with low-flying, detached limbs…….(?)…….

Maybe I should wear my riding helmet when I’m mowing?…………………not.

Maybe, I should wear safety glasses for when the limbs come swinging in from my blind-side…………………(HA, like that’s ever happened)…

Maybe, I shouldn’t be allowed to use accelerate-able, large, spinning, chopping devices…….(?)…….

Maybe, bush hogs should be put on the DO NOT TOUCH list of tools I’m not allowed to use without grown-up supervision (like my older daughter)…….(?)……..angle grinders are already firmly on that list…

…..just like that nasty cutting wheel on the angle grinder…….

…..but, I don’t want to talk about that…….