Monday, February 25, 2008
Hog Heaven
I received a phone call from my neighbor in Wimberley last week. He told me that the feral pigs, that have become a major pest in the area, had paid me a visit. I was told that they hit my yard just below the cliff near his ramp. Sharon and would have to wait to go and look at the extent of the damage because of Meg and Danny's wedding. We were not in a hurry because we didn't want to see any damage to beautiful yard we had worked so hard on. Sharon and I had taken grass plugs to plant. It took us nearly a year of this labor intensive landscaping. I went up almost every week to water trying to get the grass established. It took almost 10 years before the total yard, down by the river, was completely covered. We have lost sections over the last 5 years due to both drought and debris left from flood that were not cleaned up in a timely manner, but it didn't look too bad and usually recovered within a year.
We got to Wimberley about 5:30 PM friday but didn't go directly to our property. We were not ready yet. We ate at Marco's and finally got to our property about dusk. I looked down at the yard below the cliff. I was horrified. It was not just a strip of yard near the neighbor's property, it went almost all the way across our entire property. I didn't want to go down at that point so we went into our apartment for the night. The next morning with full light, the damage was more than what we had seen in the fading light the evening before. Our yard looked as if it had been plowed. When I went down to look closely, it was still worse. The pigs usually skim off the sod to eat what is right under the mat, usually no more than a couple of inches. Not so in my case. What the pigs found good to eat was much deeper. They had rooted up at least 6 to 10 inches of soil. There were pecan tree roots sticking up. Dead pad of grass was everywhere. It was too rough to even drive my lawn tractor across. I worked all day, from 9:00 to 4:30, and had about a 10 foot by 10 foot section level, cleared of dead grass clumps, but without a single blade of live grass. It was too much for me to do. I literally cried a short bust after dinner. I was worn out, hurting all over and realized that my old butt just couldn't function anymore. I could not fix the yard without help.
I think I have found a neighbor that will bring in a piece of heavy equipment to level the yard as best he can. It will be full of dead sod so we cannot start the grass plugging process right away. It will take years to recover. On the way back to Houston, Sharon and I realized that losing our beautiful yard wasn't as devastating as we first though. That just wasn't as important as a lot of other things in our lives. We have fairly good health for our age, our daughter survived a very scary health crisis. I have finally stopped worrying about my son....I think he may have finally joined the real world...although I am still worried about his sugar consumption. We have three beautiful grandchildren,
Today, I went to the pool and exercised. When I was through at the MAC, I drove to Petie's house. I don't usually do that, but I needed a fix. I just walked in the back door....I have warned Petie to keep it locked. I was greeted with the three biggest smiles I could have possible received. Joelle asked her usual question, "Poppy, why did you come here?' It was not a question like I really don't want you here, she just wanted to know if there were any specifics. She was glad to see me, you could see it in her big beautiful smile. Lil' Lisie Bear was all smiles when she saw me and kept coming by my chair for hugs and kisses...she even gave me a kiss. Petie was content with her two happy girls and busy with the laundry...just being a good Mom. She had brought out her easter egg cup collection that had Joelle's total attention. She stopped her laundy chores to read Lil' Lisie Bear a book. Joelle was later singing in the play room, Lisie was now laughing and pulling DVD'd out of the cabinet and Petie and I were content. That's what is important, not a yard that you can show off as something beautiful you own. Anybody can buy and maintain a piece of property. A family that is happy and loves you cannot be bought. That is Hog Heaven.
We got to Wimberley about 5:30 PM friday but didn't go directly to our property. We were not ready yet. We ate at Marco's and finally got to our property about dusk. I looked down at the yard below the cliff. I was horrified. It was not just a strip of yard near the neighbor's property, it went almost all the way across our entire property. I didn't want to go down at that point so we went into our apartment for the night. The next morning with full light, the damage was more than what we had seen in the fading light the evening before. Our yard looked as if it had been plowed. When I went down to look closely, it was still worse. The pigs usually skim off the sod to eat what is right under the mat, usually no more than a couple of inches. Not so in my case. What the pigs found good to eat was much deeper. They had rooted up at least 6 to 10 inches of soil. There were pecan tree roots sticking up. Dead pad of grass was everywhere. It was too rough to even drive my lawn tractor across. I worked all day, from 9:00 to 4:30, and had about a 10 foot by 10 foot section level, cleared of dead grass clumps, but without a single blade of live grass. It was too much for me to do. I literally cried a short bust after dinner. I was worn out, hurting all over and realized that my old butt just couldn't function anymore. I could not fix the yard without help.
I think I have found a neighbor that will bring in a piece of heavy equipment to level the yard as best he can. It will be full of dead sod so we cannot start the grass plugging process right away. It will take years to recover. On the way back to Houston, Sharon and I realized that losing our beautiful yard wasn't as devastating as we first though. That just wasn't as important as a lot of other things in our lives. We have fairly good health for our age, our daughter survived a very scary health crisis. I have finally stopped worrying about my son....I think he may have finally joined the real world...although I am still worried about his sugar consumption. We have three beautiful grandchildren,
Today, I went to the pool and exercised. When I was through at the MAC, I drove to Petie's house. I don't usually do that, but I needed a fix. I just walked in the back door....I have warned Petie to keep it locked. I was greeted with the three biggest smiles I could have possible received. Joelle asked her usual question, "Poppy, why did you come here?' It was not a question like I really don't want you here, she just wanted to know if there were any specifics. She was glad to see me, you could see it in her big beautiful smile. Lil' Lisie Bear was all smiles when she saw me and kept coming by my chair for hugs and kisses...she even gave me a kiss. Petie was content with her two happy girls and busy with the laundry...just being a good Mom. She had brought out her easter egg cup collection that had Joelle's total attention. She stopped her laundy chores to read Lil' Lisie Bear a book. Joelle was later singing in the play room, Lisie was now laughing and pulling DVD'd out of the cabinet and Petie and I were content. That's what is important, not a yard that you can show off as something beautiful you own. Anybody can buy and maintain a piece of property. A family that is happy and loves you cannot be bought. That is Hog Heaven.
