In the Pastures

We have started our annual battle with thistle. Honestly, I think thistle is pretty, but when your hayfield is inundated the beauty begins to fade. This year we are trying a clove oil spray early in the season, and will resort to digging and bagging, as is our usual, when it begins flowering.

Driving through the pasture on a tractor with a trailer sprayer full of Round-Up would be much easier, but farming organically doesn't allow such nonsense. The whole family walked and sprayed together. Sounds like torture, but really it was a lot of fun. The weather was nice and it felt good to be out of the house and doing something productive. The weed-killer smells like that old Clove Gum which is a lot better than that harsh chemical smell. Do they make that anymore? I haven't thought about that gum in a long, long time.

I quit chewing gum all together about a year ago. The artificial flavors, colors, and sweeteners (sugar-free varieties) left the smacking less palatable. I used to get great enjoyment out of gum. In fact, I frequently got carried away, masticating wildly, so I resorted to chewing gum in private at my mother's behest. More people should think about chewing gum privately. There is one incredibly cute college age girl in town who smacks like there is no tomorrow. I must be turning into my mother because that smacking drives me crazy. I can't help staring in awe as that gaping maw works that gum.

All that said, if I had a piece of that old fashioned clove gum that I haven't seen in years, I would probably pop it into my mouth, artificial junk and all.