One of my friends in Sudbury tried using a couple of goats. They did a good job at eating the grass. Unfortunately, they also did a good job at eating the shrubs and trees, and fences, and walls, and vehicles.
One day the goats were nowhere to be found. She told us that she found a home for them in Toronto with a nice family. On closer questioning, she admitted that it was a nice Greek family with a nice restaurant.
The Featherstone winery’s Black Sheep Riesling is named for the critters that help them in the vineyard. In spring and early summer, the lambs eat the leaves that would otherwise shade the grapes; the grapes are hard and not very tasty at that point. Later in the summer, the lambs go down the road to a restaurant and the grapes get pressed into a lovely wine. Apparently, the taste of ‘lamb that has eaten nothing other than grape leaves’ is pretty spectacular.
Canadian ingenuity at work…
Thanks everyone! I think we will aim to get a cheap mower for this year, see how long it lasts, and go from there. We have considered a reel mower, but aren’t too sure about them (are they good enough?). I think the grass at the new place is kind of weedy, but the property is a big flat rectangle, so maybe it’s not so bad?
As good as that sounds, I admit I couldn’t bear to take care of an animal for a season and then eat it! I love eating meat, but not meat I’ve named! It’s a very cute idea though. A family friend of ours had goats years ago, but for their property they were more trouble than they were worth.
There is a Canadian Tire, a Rona and a Home Depot just down the street! We already have all kinds of minor plans, and are sure that we will discover major ones in this 60+ year old house!
My brother’s girlfriend just gave us a bunch of boxes (she works at a library, where there is a constant source of big, sturdy boxes!) so we can start packing. It’s hard to figure out where to start; it’s still far enough away that we don’t want to pack too much right now, but close enough that we don’t want to get caught at the last minute trying to get organized with it!
We’ve given up on a gas mower - too smelly, ignition didn’t always start, etc. Two summers ago we got a little battery driven number. Works really well, much lighter than the gas mower, and just easier to use. (I did have to endure the “guy smirk” from the Rona guy who tried to steer me towards a new gas mower, because “those little electric things don’t have real power.”)
Quite understandable, given the snowdrifts.
I can dream, can’t I?
Dream of a time when instead of a scenery of black, white and grey, there’s green! Green on the trees, green on the lawns, green on Taylor Field!
Instead, I woke up to … snow. Big, fluffy, white flakes. On April 30. It’s coming down as I post.
There, there - it will be ok.
I lived in Saskatchewan and Alberta for a number of years, I understand your pain. OTOH, the earliest (or latest) snow that I have encountered was in Haileybury, Ontario. On June 21st (ironically, the first day of Summerfest). Six goddamned inches of the stuff. The church ladies’ lemonade and cookie stand rapidly morphed into hot chocolate and muffins. The ploughing match devolved into snowmobile races.
It didn’t melt away by the next morning either.
We get cute rabbits running through our back yard in the summer. One time we had a Spanish house guest and he was surprised to see a rabbit; he said that in his home town, that rabbit would last about 5 minutes before becoming someone’s lunch.
We bought a bunch of proper moving boxes for our last move (and got a bunch from Spoons - thanks again!), and it was one of our best ideas ever. They’re stored in the rafters in the garage now for our next move. We’ll never have to go begging for boxes again.
How much “real power” do you need to cut the average suburban lawn? I guess as a woman I’m ignorant of these things.
Now I’m picturing Northern Piper out in the front yard, trying to mow the snow and muttering under his breath about, “It’s almost May, dammit! I am mowing my damned LAWN!” 
in shorts and sandals, too!
I’m a CBC lover, so I was shocked, saddened, and angered to see this article, “Budget bill gives Harper Cabinet new powers over CBC.”
Just when I thought it wasn’t possible for me to hate the government any more…
Maybe this should’ve gone in the Pit.
The CBC receives approximately $1,000,000,000 (one billion) tax dollars on an annual basis. I think it’s quite acceptable that the elected government should have a say on how that’s spent, especially on salaries.
I say “it’s about time.”
From that article:
“These Crown agencies represent public broadcasting, culture, and scientific research, three areas where the Conservatives have been antagonistic,” Mr. Brison said in an interview.
I’m very much in favour of culture. And science. And public broadcasting.
This news worries me on multiple levels. This isn’t to be taken lightly.
The elected governments have always had a say on how the CBC’s money has been spent; this is the first government since the CBC was formed that feels the need to meddle with the arm’s length relationship. ‘Hands off’, I say.
It’s particularly offensive because this is a government that doesn’t know where 3.1 billion dollars of anti-terror money went, according to the Auditor General. Now that’s financial mis-management!
I can only hope at least $1 billion of it magically found its way to the CBC. 
I agree.
That’d be nice.
This government already cut lots of funding to the arts a few years back. Enough!
Now maybe I should start a Harper pit thread before I get any angrier. :rolleyes:
I’d agree in principle.
But, my issue is that this Government simply goes out and starts cutting left and right - especially soft targets like CBC that they are ideologically opposed to.
Yeah, like cutting at CBC will make life of an average Canadian any better :rolleyes:
Come up with a comprehensive plan of action on how to re-ignite the economy the proper way and then we can discuss CBC cuts. But they wont do that - they’ll do a stunt move like this, polarize the nation further and another 3 to 6 months wasted.
2015 cannot come any sooner is all I have to say.
Well, a different source has this to say:
Do we know who mismanaged the money at this point?
1B/30M Canadians = $33/person. A good meal, a couple of tickets to a movie.
Heck, it’s even in the original link.
Well, one or the other, surely. Thanks for pointing out what a great bargain the CBC is. We should raise that to at least $50/person at the earliest opportunity.
“A cynic is one who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.” Sounds to me like Oscar Wilde was describing a modern conservative.