The evolution of a lawn mower (or... the frog.)

Cute puppy with a bad habit.

Wichita is a sweet puppy. But this puppy had a wicked chewing phase. She had many victims. One big one went unnoticed for months, but this spring it was found out that she in fact had killed the lawn mower.
First some history: I hate gas mowers. I believe gas should be left for my SUV. So the hippie in me lucked into one of those old timey push mowers.

My old timey push mower.

I cut the grass exactly twice with this and realized it was over rated. Motors were added to lawn mowers for a reason. So. Enter the electric mower. It is like a vacume cleaner with a blade. Once in the groove of swinging the cord it is actually really nice. Until Wichita. Apparently the dangling cord was too inviting and at some point this winter she chewed it off. And I assure you, the electrics inside that housing were way more complicated than I ever could have thought. I was hoping she wouldn't chew one again, and was wishing there was a way around the long cord.

So the neighbor let me borrow her loud polluting mower, and I drug out the old timey push mower, while I pondered electric models. 

And, because she felt bad Wichita tried to eat the grass to a reasonable height.

She loves her greens.

A solution was found; there is a new thing.... battery operated lawn mowers! No cord, no gas! But it seems it is an east coast thing, so I was afraid I would never find one in St. Louis. A trip to Home Depot was planned.... when a miracle at work occurred.

From across the back dock it looked like an electric lawn mower. I was so excited! Then I got to it, and started inspecting, and low and behold I could not find the plug to try it out. I opened the weird lid, when I saw why..... It was a battery operated lawn mower!!!!

It is everything I thought it would be. Quiet, light weight, NO exhaust throwing rocks or sticks. It has power, it has grace! It carries its own tools! And there is no cord for the puppy to chew. And there will be more gas for my SUV.

It's cute too!

The battery weighs more that the machine.

Snow Dogs! (or what a great day to be off work.)

This was the biggest snow these two pups have seen. Wildfire loves snow, but gets cold and tired of it quick. Wichita however..... I guess the Chow Chow and Akita in her really show on days like this. She eats a lot of snow, and can't quite contain her excitement.