actually trees keep the yard cooler. I can feel the difference between my sunny front yard and shady back yard. I think yards started out as grazing land for goats and such near the house. Now they are the expectation of Home Owners Associations.
Grass is a pain, then people waste water on it and fertilize it to the high heavens and the fertilizer sinks to the water table contaminating the remaining water.
@david huie green: I believe that ‘raked, plantless dirt’ was the result of having no time off from eking out a living for either raking it or planting it. Had nothing to do with fire breaks.
@cerabooge: bare, plantless yards were not specific to the south. Many in poorer districts everywhere had them. Again, subsistence living meant no time for anything that did not contribute to family welfare.
In many areas, yards were for parking tools, wagons, etc. Any grass that appeared was soon flattened underfoot or drowned in mud.
In this strip, however, the idea of copying someone else’s idea is the motivating force behind much of what currently passes for ‘civilized’ and ‘socially acceptable’ life styles in the modern era. It is the continuation of an ancient pattern; of one group imitating the bare outlines of the manners and mores of another, seemingly more privileged group, i.e., ‘middle class’ modeling the ‘upper classes,’ and so on along the socioeconomic ladder. It applies to housing, clothing, education, religion, music, et al.
And, in the modern era, one is inundated by massive amounts of advertising that purports to show what the ‘GOOD LIFE’ could be for YOU!! The message is: they have it and you can, too.
The pressure to copy is incessant. It is not an uplifting message.
Purpose? It tells everyone that you have enough money to afford to grow a large patch of ornamental plants. And that your town has idiots on the zoning board
Keeps the dust down, keeps temperatures around the house lower. Boosts morale. Mowing? Keeps the height down so you don’t have snakes hiding in the grass.
@david huie green: “I believe that ‘raked, plantless dirt’ was the result of having no time off from eking out a living for either raking it or planting it. Had nothing to do with fire breaks.”
Believe as you wish. You will anyway. I knew the people and listened to them. They raked to remove any plants which came up. Ground is not naturally plantless. Life will find a way.
Interesting that my southern ancestors have gone from being considered shiftless, lazy bones to non-stop near-starvation workers.
My grandmother would not permit grass within some 30 or 40 feet of her house. Grandpa kept a nice lawn beyond her boundary, all the way to his garden or the highway or the railroad behind him — which he maintained himself by hand while doing many different jobs over the years.
Our church had a nice fireproof concrete block structure. One of the elder members came down every week to rake the ground bare around it. He believed not doing so would be a sin.
“In many areas, yards were for parking tools, wagons, etc. Any grass that appeared was soon flattened underfoot or drowned in mud.”
Tools were not “parked” out in the open. They were stored in sheds lest weather rust, warp or rot them. A good workman kept his tools sharp, oiled and dry. Doing otherwise risked losing all and caused extra unnecessary work.
Grass does not drop dead upon being walked upon or drown when wet. Nor do people walk on every square inch around their homes daily such as would not even begin to kill all the grass.
(Folks should consider not making such statements while knowing absolutely nothing about what they are saying.)
@david huie green: Thank you for your very thoughtful and respectful replies. I especially appreciate the inference that I said all southerners were ‘shiftless, lazy bones,’ or that they lived in ‘non-stop starvation’ mode. I did not, nor did I suggest that these situations were limited to the US. No culture is that uniform, nor are those traits and differences limited only to southerners.
At least, that is what my experiences in the last 80+ years, including college, military, travel, sales repping, small business operation, and classroom teaching, have taught me about our world.
I will add that I do not believe ‘cultural modeling’ is limited only to those we ‘admire and respect.’ Envy also is a stimulus.
And one very minor reference: you say ‘grass does not drop dead . . .’ I wonder how those very obvious paths occur in fields, yards, and hiking areas . . . spontaneous displacement?
Finally, in earlier years I was an advertising rep, where the golden rule was: ‘sell the sizzle and not the steak.’ The goal was to convince people who had just eaten a full meal that they wanted more of everything. It is called ‘punching the I want button.’
“I no longer remember where I read this: Man is the only animal that plants a crop he can’t eat and still has to mow twice a week.”
You could be accurate even only with:
“Man is the only animal that plants a crop.” None of the others does so intentionally.
We have many reasons to plant crops. Food, spices, shade, clothing, dyes, aesthetic appreciation, building materials, tools, medicines, defense (Plant a few Spanish Bayonets under your windows or around your property line and see how many burglars brave their points.) .
I don’t eat my roses either but like them. I eat flax seed, but most is planted to produce flax for linen. Soybeans are good to eat but also make feedstock for assorted chemicals. I like crabapples but the blossoms are very nice.
David Huie Green LosersBlameOthers&It'sYOURfault almost 7 years ago
Actually, before lawns became common, people kept raked, plantless dirt around their homes for a firebreak, in the rural south at least.
Enter.Name.Here almost 7 years ago
Lawns keep the ground around the home cooler, and give off oxygen. Plus it’s always awesome to lie down on it in the shade on a hot day!
Dani Rice almost 7 years ago
Why would they restrict lawns? Keep them mowed, yes. But not allowing them? That’s silly.
car2ner almost 7 years ago
actually trees keep the yard cooler. I can feel the difference between my sunny front yard and shady back yard. I think yards started out as grazing land for goats and such near the house. Now they are the expectation of Home Owners Associations.
NeedaChuckle Premium Member almost 7 years ago
Grass is a pain, then people waste water on it and fertilize it to the high heavens and the fertilizer sinks to the water table contaminating the remaining water.
rshive almost 7 years ago
The dawn of lawns or of lawn envy, not sure which.
sandpiper almost 7 years ago
@david huie green: I believe that ‘raked, plantless dirt’ was the result of having no time off from eking out a living for either raking it or planting it. Had nothing to do with fire breaks.
@cerabooge: bare, plantless yards were not specific to the south. Many in poorer districts everywhere had them. Again, subsistence living meant no time for anything that did not contribute to family welfare.
sandpiper almost 7 years ago
In many areas, yards were for parking tools, wagons, etc. Any grass that appeared was soon flattened underfoot or drowned in mud.
In this strip, however, the idea of copying someone else’s idea is the motivating force behind much of what currently passes for ‘civilized’ and ‘socially acceptable’ life styles in the modern era. It is the continuation of an ancient pattern; of one group imitating the bare outlines of the manners and mores of another, seemingly more privileged group, i.e., ‘middle class’ modeling the ‘upper classes,’ and so on along the socioeconomic ladder. It applies to housing, clothing, education, religion, music, et al.
And, in the modern era, one is inundated by massive amounts of advertising that purports to show what the ‘GOOD LIFE’ could be for YOU!! The message is: they have it and you can, too.
The pressure to copy is incessant. It is not an uplifting message.
mourdac Premium Member almost 7 years ago
People love the neat manicured look in their plants. Grass, a tree here or there, some non-native flowers bought at a big-box home improvement store.
jtviper7 almost 7 years ago
The neighbor must be named Jones…
1953Baby almost 7 years ago
The beginnings of the consumer culture. . .
Kip W almost 7 years ago
Cavemens got XBOX!
Teto85 Premium Member almost 7 years ago
Purpose? It tells everyone that you have enough money to afford to grow a large patch of ornamental plants. And that your town has idiots on the zoning board
zeexenon almost 7 years ago
anorok2 almost 7 years ago
@Sanderling75…Uh yeah..thank you.
brklnbern almost 7 years ago
So true.
K M almost 7 years ago
I no longer remember where I read this: Man is the only animal that plants a crop he can’t eat and still has to mow twice a week.
mklange Premium Member almost 7 years ago
Keeps the dust down, keeps temperatures around the house lower. Boosts morale. Mowing? Keeps the height down so you don’t have snakes hiding in the grass.
David Huie Green LosersBlameOthers&It'sYOURfault almost 7 years ago
SANDERLING75
@david huie green: “I believe that ‘raked, plantless dirt’ was the result of having no time off from eking out a living for either raking it or planting it. Had nothing to do with fire breaks.”
Believe as you wish. You will anyway. I knew the people and listened to them. They raked to remove any plants which came up. Ground is not naturally plantless. Life will find a way.
Interesting that my southern ancestors have gone from being considered shiftless, lazy bones to non-stop near-starvation workers.
My grandmother would not permit grass within some 30 or 40 feet of her house. Grandpa kept a nice lawn beyond her boundary, all the way to his garden or the highway or the railroad behind him — which he maintained himself by hand while doing many different jobs over the years.
Our church had a nice fireproof concrete block structure. One of the elder members came down every week to rake the ground bare around it. He believed not doing so would be a sin.
David Huie Green LosersBlameOthers&It'sYOURfault almost 7 years ago
SANDERLING75
“In many areas, yards were for parking tools, wagons, etc. Any grass that appeared was soon flattened underfoot or drowned in mud.”
Tools were not “parked” out in the open. They were stored in sheds lest weather rust, warp or rot them. A good workman kept his tools sharp, oiled and dry. Doing otherwise risked losing all and caused extra unnecessary work.
Grass does not drop dead upon being walked upon or drown when wet. Nor do people walk on every square inch around their homes daily such as would not even begin to kill all the grass.
(Folks should consider not making such statements while knowing absolutely nothing about what they are saying.)
sandpiper almost 7 years ago
@david huie green: Thank you for your very thoughtful and respectful replies. I especially appreciate the inference that I said all southerners were ‘shiftless, lazy bones,’ or that they lived in ‘non-stop starvation’ mode. I did not, nor did I suggest that these situations were limited to the US. No culture is that uniform, nor are those traits and differences limited only to southerners.
At least, that is what my experiences in the last 80+ years, including college, military, travel, sales repping, small business operation, and classroom teaching, have taught me about our world.
I will add that I do not believe ‘cultural modeling’ is limited only to those we ‘admire and respect.’ Envy also is a stimulus.
And one very minor reference: you say ‘grass does not drop dead . . .’ I wonder how those very obvious paths occur in fields, yards, and hiking areas . . . spontaneous displacement?
Finally, in earlier years I was an advertising rep, where the golden rule was: ‘sell the sizzle and not the steak.’ The goal was to convince people who had just eaten a full meal that they wanted more of everything. It is called ‘punching the I want button.’
It is not a theme that brings out the best in us.
I know whereof I speak.
Thanks again.
David Huie Green LosersBlameOthers&It'sYOURfault almost 7 years ago
K M GC INSIDER
“I no longer remember where I read this: Man is the only animal that plants a crop he can’t eat and still has to mow twice a week.”
You could be accurate even only with:
“Man is the only animal that plants a crop.” None of the others does so intentionally.We have many reasons to plant crops. Food, spices, shade, clothing, dyes, aesthetic appreciation, building materials, tools, medicines, defense (Plant a few Spanish Bayonets under your windows or around your property line and see how many burglars brave their points.) .
I don’t eat my roses either but like them. I eat flax seed, but most is planted to produce flax for linen. Soybeans are good to eat but also make feedstock for assorted chemicals. I like crabapples but the blossoms are very nice.