Rock 1: Lawn mower 0
My lawn mower blade has hit more than its share of rocks over the past 7 summers. The result is usually a loud sound, sparks, and, occasionally, the engine kicking off. It's always started up again immediately.
Tonight, the rock won big time. I was mowing some weed-ridden sandy soil near the bottom of the drive. *Crunch!* went the lawn mower with a ringing tone, the engine promptly dying. It didn't restart immediately, so I gave it a moment and went looking for the rock. There was a fist-sized lump of quartz lurking in the sand. Dings on multiple sides suggest it's been hit by that lawnmower more than once over the years. Tonight, though, tonight it looks like an entire side was sheared off, revealing a broad expanse of the beauty that is the quartz within. Impressive work for a lawn mower blade.
The mower still didn't want to start, so I started pushing it toward the garage. Huh. It wouldn't push, either. I tipped it up on edge and took a look. One end of the blade is bent at such a steep angle that the mower is resting on it instead of its usual 4 wheels. Impressive work for a rock.
I called it quits for the night, rolling the mower back into the garage on its back two wheels with the front raised high enough for forward movement and then some. I'll try taking some tools to the blade when I'm less sweaty and when it's also less humid outside.
The rock is now in my window box. I don't know that it will stay there, but wherever it ends up, it's going to be outside lawn mower range. Both the rock and the mower have earned that.
Tonight, the rock won big time. I was mowing some weed-ridden sandy soil near the bottom of the drive. *Crunch!* went the lawn mower with a ringing tone, the engine promptly dying. It didn't restart immediately, so I gave it a moment and went looking for the rock. There was a fist-sized lump of quartz lurking in the sand. Dings on multiple sides suggest it's been hit by that lawnmower more than once over the years. Tonight, though, tonight it looks like an entire side was sheared off, revealing a broad expanse of the beauty that is the quartz within. Impressive work for a lawn mower blade.
The mower still didn't want to start, so I started pushing it toward the garage. Huh. It wouldn't push, either. I tipped it up on edge and took a look. One end of the blade is bent at such a steep angle that the mower is resting on it instead of its usual 4 wheels. Impressive work for a rock.
I called it quits for the night, rolling the mower back into the garage on its back two wheels with the front raised high enough for forward movement and then some. I'll try taking some tools to the blade when I'm less sweaty and when it's also less humid outside.
The rock is now in my window box. I don't know that it will stay there, but wherever it ends up, it's going to be outside lawn mower range. Both the rock and the mower have earned that.