yard guys

Tuesday, May 12, 2009


hallellujah - it's rainin' yard boys - Amen

And so what if their average age is 13. This crew of 5 is transforming my jungle like overgrown and wild property bit by bit, lil' red wagon full by lil' red wagon full. Mama's thrilled. I saw the hand drawn poster on the grocery store bulletin board Saturday and called the number that same day. Ajay's mom answered and I had an idea that her son might be a high school student looking for some extra money. Ajay himself called me back several hours later and I was instantly tres impressed with his confident, self assured, can-do spirit. He asked me at the end of the conversation Did my Mom tell you how old I am ? I replied No, how old are you ? He told me - 12. Hey ! Pas problem I replied. No age discrimination here at 29 Black Street 'cause Mama desperately needs some help.

They were here Sunday, after lunch for two hours - the full weekend crew of 5, avec their lil' red wagon to carry equipment - a high powered whipper snipper, rakes, etc. A petite swarm of boys bustled around my yard cleaning and weeding, raking and hauling dead branches and yard debris to the giant compost pile and mouse condominium that's been building in our back forest. Sigh. At one point I noticed through the window two of them racing toward my front door. Oh No I thought, my heart beginning to beat faster One of them has cut themselves or is hurt somehow. But no they just wanted to show me, and give to me for safe keeping, an unbroken Robin's egg that they'd found on the ground. Kind and sensitive yard boys - sigh - be still my heart. They proceeded to give me detailed instructions on how to care for this beautiful blue egg until they were ready to leave and they would then take the egg with them. I needed to warm the egg up first with warm (but not too warm) water and then make a nest of paper towels and place the nest under a lamp. I used my luxo lamp - which was perfect. While the egg was warming up in a small tupperware container filled with warm water I watched it closely, the egg was rocking ever so gently. I wondered if this was because of a heart beat and I so wished I had a wee stethoscope.

The boss man Ajay stopped by at lunch yesterday, on his bike, just to let me know that the crew would back that day as soon as school was out. And sure enough they showed up at 3:30 sharp ready to work. They already have big plans and visions for our big expanse of property. I heard Matt say that they were discussing at school what their afternoon plan of action would be when they arrived here at Black Street. I'm hoping that this Saturday I'll work outside with them for a bit and I'll make us a picnic lunch. Egg salad sandwiches wrapped up in waxed paper, chocolate chip cookies and some chocolate milk. All boys love chocolate milk. It's a big part of why I don't do as much yard work as I should - I'd so much rather have company while doing it.

You know early Sunday morning I was on the big ol' hunt for Hope, I couldn't find her anywhere ... it's the funny thing about life - you just never know what's around that very next corner or what kinda crazy getup Hope's gonna be wearin' next.


I made them a proper poster to hang up around our little village

21 comments:

  1. Oh, I think I have a big old crush on ALL of them. I love that photo! They are priceless. SIGH. I wish I could come over on Saturday, help with those cookies and get another healthy dose of "See? The human race doesn't stink!". I'm so happy you found them. :) They give me hope, too.

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  2. Aww. How can you look at their picture and not smile?!

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  3. How fabulous was that? It's people and experiences like that coming unexpectedly into our lives that really show up what a pointless waste of living time despondency and despair really is. I'm delighted for you, and I love the poster you made for them!

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  4. The poster is great! Now they need some business cards too!! Fabulous workers for sure.
    Tail Wags to All.
    ~Moose

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  5. I'm seeing the bigger picture here. Add two more boys, several years of training and suddenly you'll be seeing posters for Susan's Seven Silent Valet Services. Just another branch of the Creative Empire.

    BRILLIANT!

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  6. hmmmmmm ...
    I wonder if they paint ?

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  7. great poster! the yard boys will be busy all summer, indeed!

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  8. i think im in love. i'll take them all. and feed them eggy mac and cheese. your poster is killer! i bet they get lots of work.

    (is there any chance you will be making a tiny life into a print? i cant quite swing the original right now.)

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  9. shades of my youth!! It could be a picture of us 3 tomboy girls and our two big neighbour boys.. we used to make up jobs to get spending money....

    they must be thrilled with their fancy new poster...I bet they'll be busy all summer.....

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  10. hey K9 - I love them too ! the photo just kills me they are all amazingly sweet, tres earnest and nothing but good. Exactly what I needed.

    Re : Tiny Life No. 5 I'm having trouble finding a cost effective way to get prints made of my work - hence the "all originals" shop. Maybe we could trade ?!?

    Call me! (kidding). We'll chat in etsy land. There are SO many of your prints that I LOVE I'd be fetched up for days just trying to choose one or two. Let me know if you're up for tradin'.

    Hope your heart is slowly mending.
    Much love from all of us.

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  11. They sound fab, Muzzle said we could do with a group like that to help with part of our garden!

    Minnie-Moo
    x

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  12. Those boys are going to go far! What a fun post. I am wondering what happened to the egg.

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  13. yes yes yes i will trade!! i also love "everything reminds me of my dog" i wanted to do the thing where i would send you trouts profile and you customize it.

    oh i have lots of advice on the prints. in a word, Epson. we'll tawk.

    thanks for the love. all the kind things said by you and all the artistic animal lovers mean tres mucho. (there, ive covered the entire north american slang)

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  14. hooray !! K-9 I would love to do a custom piece of beautiful Trout.

    tawk soon.

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  15. Yaaay! Hope does mean help, doesn't it? How good to see every face!!! I want to come to that picnic! How are the babies handling all that noise?

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  16. Susan, you're the best! The boys are too. What a great poster, and won't they love that photo to look back on when they're all grown up, which will happen much too quickly I'm sure.xx

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  17. Awesome! What a crew. That poster will make them world famous in your village!

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  18. Is that the cutest bunch of yardmen you have ever seen??! Adorable! I sense the beginning of a beautiful friendship!

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  19. Susan...I do believe you have found some wonderful help!!!
    Bravo! Makes me feel good to know there are still young people who will work hard for what they want.
    They are a darling bunch! The poster is wonderful!
    ~ Carol ~

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  20. You are so cute Susan! Look at that poster you made! I'll bet the guys loved that. These kids are just plain impressive to be so....together....at such a young age. I love them!

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  21. Excellent! Love their pic. Sweet and uplifting delightful story. Makes me think of my sons. My 15 year old wants to do something similar.

    Good luck with that all. how marvelous.

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