Tolkien Landscaping and Philology Service

[Bill O'Meally]

During 1944-45, there are an especially large number of letters from
Tolkien to his son Christopher, who was now in the RAF. According to
Carpenter's _Biography_ this was a very productive period in the
writing of LotR, and he shared a lot of the drafts with his son as Sam
& Frodo made their way through the Dead Marshes and onward to Cirith
Ungol. But around April, 1944 there begins to be some curious
references to mowing lawns, etc.

There's, "Afternoon lawnmowing". _Letters_ #60, p. 71

"... but the grass grows so quick that I feel like a barber faced with
a never-ending queue (& not a chinaman's either, to be trimmed with one
snip) [his words, not mine!]." ibid, #61, p. 73.

"... saw the Lewises and C.W. (White Horse) for 1/2 hour; mowed three
lawns... Grr! The fourth lawn will have to wait." ibid, #63, p. 74.

"... garden (very exigent just now: lawns, hedges, marrowbeds,
weeding)...." ibid, #67, p. 79.

I have taken advantage of a bitter cold grey week (in which the lawns
have not grown in spite of little rain) to write...."

Granted, Tolkien was living in a rather suburban neighborfood on
Northmoor Rd, with the likely inherent yard upkeep, and enjoyed his
'bit of garden'. But what's with the *four* lawns? Was this one of
his many side hustles? Was he performing a service for families with
their men away at war, or perhaps for fellow parishoners? If so, why a
52 year old Oxford don rather than some of the neighborhood kids? He
certainly had plenty of things going on to keep him busy!

[Faux Dameron]

Post by Bill O'Meally
"... saw the Lewises and C.W. (White Horse) for 1/2 hour; mowed three
lawns... Grr! The fourth lawn will have to wait." ibid, #63, p. 74.

The ordinariness of it all makes me smile. It's too easy to put men like
this on a pedestal above common drudgery. Do you suppose "C.W." is
Charles Williams?

[Bill O'Meally]

Post by Faux Dameron

Post by Bill O'Meally
"... saw the Lewises and C.W. (White Horse) for 1/2 hour; mowed three
lawns... Grr! The fourth lawn will have to wait." ibid, #63, p. 74.

The ordinariness of it all makes me smile. It's too easy to put men like
this on a pedestal above common drudgery. Do you suppose "C.W." is
Charles Williams?

Yes, I was snickering as I kept coming across these lawnmowing
references, possibly laughing out loud at the "Grr!". :-) Hence my
humerous (in my mind) subject line. CW is definitely Charles Williams.

[Steve Morrison]

Post by Bill O'Meally

Post by Faux Dameron

Post by Bill O'Meally
"... saw the Lewises and C.W. (White Horse) for 1/2 hour; mowed three
lawns... Grr! The fourth lawn will have to wait." ibid, #63, p. 74.

The ordinariness of it all makes me smile. It's too easy to put men like
this on a pedestal above common drudgery. Do you suppose "C.W." is
Charles Williams?

Yes, I was snickering as I kept coming across these lawnmowing
references, possibly laughing out loud at the "Grr!". :-) Hence my
humerous (in my mind) subject line. CW is definitely Charles Williams.

Hm. That does add a personal meaning to the line "And no one was ill,
and everyone was pleased, except those who had to mow the grass.",
doesn't it?

[Glenn Holliday]

of garden'.  But what's with the *four* lawns?  Was this one of his many

My first guess is front, side, rear, side.

[Bill O'Meally]

Post by Glenn Holliday

of garden'.  But what's with the *four* lawns?  Was this one of his many

My first guess is front, side, rear, side.

Hmm. That make a lot of sense, and you are probably correct. But it
seems odd to describe his own patches of grass as simply numerical
'lawns' rather than 'the front lawn', 'the back lawn', 'the Lawn of
Parth Galen', etc. ;-)

Wouldn't he have been more likely to say something like, "I mowed the
front and both sides. Grr! the back will have to wait"?

[Stan Brown]

Post by Bill O'Meally

Post by Glenn Holliday

of garden'.  But what's with the *four* lawns?  Was this one of his many

My first guess is front, side, rear, side.

Hmm. That make a lot of sense, and you are probably correct. But it
seems odd to describe his own patches of grass as simply numerical
'lawns' rather than 'the front lawn', 'the back lawn', 'the Lawn of
Parth Galen', etc. ;-)
Wouldn't he have been more likely to say something like, "I mowed the
front and both sides. Grr! the back will have to wait"?

That wouldn't have been nearly as dramatic! JRRT did like to play the
martyr on occasion, or maybe it's nearer the truth to say that he
sometimes exaggerated real misfortunes so that they seemed worse than
they were. IDHTBIFOM, but for example I think he talked about his
mother having been "persecuted" by the rest of the family, after his
father's death, because she stayed Roman Catholic.

This is not of the same order, of course, but I could see him
claiming four lawns for "poetical exaggeration".

[Bill O'Meally]

Post by Stan Brown
That wouldn't have been nearly as dramatic! JRRT did like to play the
martyr on occasion, or maybe it's nearer the truth to say that he
sometimes exaggerated real misfortunes so that they seemed worse than
they were. IDHTBIFOM, but for example I think he talked about his
mother having been "persecuted" by the rest of the family, after his
father's death, because she stayed Roman Catholic.
This is not of the same order, of course, but I could see him
claiming four lawns for "poetical exaggeration".

And you can bet he used a (non-motorized) push mower! Can you imagine
his dismay in his suburban existence at the noise of lawn equipment and
their 'infernal combustion engines'? :-)

As for Mabel Tolkien, he went as far to view his mother as a being
martyr to the Catholic faith.

[Stan Brown]

Post by Bill O'Meally
And you can bet he used a (non-motorized) push mower! Can you imagine
his dismay in his suburban existence at the noise of lawn equipment and
their 'infernal combustion engines'? :-)

i had to buy a new lawn mower recently, and not a battery-powered one
from Home Depot. It's just as powerful as a gasoline-powered one, but
among its many advantages is that it's a LOT less noisy.

Post by Bill O'Meally
As for Mabel Tolkien, he went as far to view his mother as a being
martyr to the Catholic faith.

That always seemed kind of over the top to me.

[Bill O'Meally]

Post by Stan Brown

Post by Bill O'Meally
And you can bet he used a (non-motorized) push mower! Can you imagine
his dismay in his suburban existence at the noise of lawn equipment and
their 'infernal combustion engines'? :-)

i had to buy a new lawn mower recently, and not a battery-powered one
from Home Depot. It's just as powerful as a gasoline-powered one, but
among its many advantages is that it's a LOT less noisy.

'Not' a battery powered one? You mean a *manual* push mower? I got
one once and did not find it to work very well, and it took lots of
effort even when I was 20 years younger! Tolkien was just a couple
years younger than me now when he wrote those letters. Could have just
been a poor quality model.

Post by Stan Brown

Post by Bill O'Meally
As for Mabel Tolkien, he went as far to view his mother as a being
martyr to the Catholic faith.

That always seemed kind of over the top to me.

Though it did cement his faith. That and his relationship with Father
Francis Morgan.

[Glenn Holliday]

Post by Stan Brown

And you can bet he used a (non-motorized) push mower!  Can you imagine
his dismay in his suburban existence at the noise of lawn equipment and
their 'infernal combustion engines'? :-)

i had to buy a new lawn mower recently, and not a battery-powered one
from Home Depot. It's just as powerful as a gasoline-powered one, but
among its many advantages is that it's a LOT less noisy.

'Not' a battery powered one?  You mean a *manual* push mower?  I got one
once and did not find it to work very well, and it took lots of effort
even when I was 20 years younger!  Tolkien was just a couple years
younger than me now when he wrote those letters.  Could have just been a
poor quality model.

I had a manual push mower once. I worked well for a short while,
then pieces began to fall off. I was unable to find a good quality
replacement. This was before Internet - I could probably find
many choices today. But at that time I switched to electric -
corded, as battery mowers were in their infancy then. It has
run well for more than 20 years, and I learned to manage the
cord well enough to like using the thing. When it eventually
breaks down I will likely switch to a battery mower.

Actually, I have an old scythe, which I mowed grass with a few times
to find out what it was like. I would need to practice with it
more than I did to become skilled with it. I wonder if
Tolkien handled one of those when he was in the country?

[Stan Brown]

Post by Glenn Holliday
I had a manual push mower once. I worked well for a short while,
then pieces began to fall off.

I'm so sorry to hear that, but we are all aging. My pieces are
sagging, bt one has actually fallen off. :-)

Post by Glenn Holliday
Actually, I have an old scythe, which I mowed grass with a few
times
to find out what it was like. I would need to practice with it
more than I did to become skilled with it. I wonder if
Tolkien handled one of those when he was in the country?

Or you could always just get a few goats. :-)

[Steve Hayes]

On Sat, 6 Jun 2020 17:22:00 -0700, Stan Brown

Post by Stan Brown
Or you could always just get a few goats. :-)

Sheep would probably be better. Goats tend to be browsers.

[Paul S Person]

Post by Glenn Holliday

Post by Stan Brown

And you can bet he used a (non-motorized) push mower!  Can you imagine
his dismay in his suburban existence at the noise of lawn equipment and
their 'infernal combustion engines'? :-)

i had to buy a new lawn mower recently, and not a battery-powered one
from Home Depot. It's just as powerful as a gasoline-powered one, but
among its many advantages is that it's a LOT less noisy.

'Not' a battery powered one?  You mean a *manual* push mower?  I got one
once and did not find it to work very well, and it took lots of effort
even when I was 20 years younger!  Tolkien was just a couple years
younger than me now when he wrote those letters.  Could have just been a
poor quality model.

I had a manual push mower once. I worked well for a short while,
then pieces began to fall off. I was unable to find a good quality
replacement.

Anything mechanical is prone to doing that.

Particularly when I don't do maintenance.

Post by Glenn Holliday
This was before Internet - I could probably find
many choices today. But at that time I switched to electric -
corded, as battery mowers were in their infancy then. It has
run well for more than 20 years, and I learned to manage the
cord well enough to like using the thing. When it eventually
breaks down I will likely switch to a battery mower.

My first corded mower required me to adjust the height of each wheel
separately. Which was confusing because the front and rear wheels
adjusted in opposite directions (clockwise and anticlockwise, moing a
selector along a toothed bit of metal, which meant you had to count
the number of "teeth" from oppoosite ends in opposite directions, all
while laying the thing on its side).

My new one has a single lever that adjusts all four at once!

Just something to look for if/when you decide to replace it.

Post by Glenn Holliday
Actually, I have an old scythe, which I mowed grass with a few times
to find out what it was like. I would need to practice with it
more than I did to become skilled with it. I wonder if
Tolkien handled one of those when he was in the country?

[Stan Brown]

Post by Stan Brown
i had to buy a new lawn mower recently, and not a battery-powered one
from Home Depot. It's just as powerful as a gasoline-powered one,
but among its many advantages is that it's a LOT less noisy.

Sorry for the typo, which created confusion. I should have written
" ... GOT a battery-powered one ...". This one, in fact:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-20-in-40-Volt-Brushless-Lithium-
Ion-Cordless-Battery-Walk-Behind-Push-Lawn-Mower-6-0-Ah-Battery-
Charger-Included-RY401110-Y/311084745

Yes, it's necessary to push the mower, but it's so light that that's
really not a burden. And the handle is adjustable so a backache is
less likely.

I haven't noticed any problem with high center of gravity or
difficulty in turning. I wouldn't have bought a corded mower on a
bet, but the rechargeable battery is great. And it's interchangeable
with the battery on my weed whacker, so if I run out of juice in the
middle of a work session I can just swap batteries and keep going.

[Paul S Person]

On Fri, 5 Jun 2020 10:12:16 -0700, Stan Brown

Post by Stan Brown

Post by Stan Brown
i had to buy a new lawn mower recently, and not a battery-powered one
from Home Depot. It's just as powerful as a gasoline-powered one,
but among its many advantages is that it's a LOT less noisy.

Sorry for the typo, which created confusion. I should have written
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-20-in-40-Volt-Brushless-Lithium-
Ion-Cordless-Battery-Walk-Behind-Push-Lawn-Mower-6-0-Ah-Battery-
Charger-Included-RY401110-Y/311084745
Yes, it's necessary to push the mower, but it's so light that that's
really not a burden. And the handle is adjustable so a backache is
less likely.
I haven't noticed any problem with high center of gravity or
difficulty in turning. I wouldn't have bought a corded mower on a
bet, but the rechargeable battery is great. And it's interchangeable
with the battery on my weed whacker, so if I run out of juice in the
middle of a work session I can just swap batteries and keep going.

Always glad to hear that things are better than I thought.

[Paul S Person]

On Thu, 4 Jun 2020 19:53:49 -0400, Bill O'Meally

Post by Bill O'Meally

Post by Stan Brown
That wouldn't have been nearly as dramatic! JRRT did like to play the
martyr on occasion, or maybe it's nearer the truth to say that he
sometimes exaggerated real misfortunes so that they seemed worse than
they were. IDHTBIFOM, but for example I think he talked about his
mother having been "persecuted" by the rest of the family, after his
father's death, because she stayed Roman Catholic.
This is not of the same order, of course, but I could see him
claiming four lawns for "poetical exaggeration".

And you can bet he used a (non-motorized) push mower! Can you imagine
his dismay in his suburban existence at the noise of lawn equipment and
their 'infernal combustion engines'? :-)

Sadly, he lived before the advent -- or, at least, the wide
availability -- of electric mowers.

I'm on my second (books are not the only things I am rough on). For
those unfamiliar with the concept, the type I have:

1) Requires a hefty (and long) extension cord. And a GFCI, for safety.
2) Does not move the mower -- it is a push mower -- but does rotate
the blade, which makes it much easier to use than a manual.

Since they are electric, using them in the rain is /not/ encouraged.
Indeed, using them when the lawn is wet is not encouraged. And, if any
children show up, instructions are to shut down until their parents
have taken them away -- apparently, they have a tendency to dart in
suddenly to see how it works, leading to lost fingers. This, of
course, is a Bad Thing.

Other varieties include:
1) Battery-powered. This is a rechargeable battery, of course.
2) Riding mower. This is also battery-powered, and (AFAIK) it actually
/does/ move itself.

Reviews of these things point out some problems:
1) For a corded mower: "that d*mned" cord. I am on my third; I managed
to use the mower to cut the first two (carelessness, inadvertence, the
result is the same). It isn't that hard to wrangle the cord -- but it
does require a great deal of attention.
2) For a battery-powered mower: "high center of gravity". The battery
is quite heavy and sits on top, which apparently affects turning
ability.

And, of course, even rechargeable batteries have their problems: they
have to be charged; when they run out, the mower stops; and it adds a
few /more/ things that can need repair or replacement.

[Steve Hayes]

On Fri, 05 Jun 2020 09:18:32 -0700, Paul S Person

Post by Paul S Person
Sadly, he lived before the advent -- or, at least, the wide
availability -- of electric mowers.

In my youth there were only manual mowers, with horzontal blade rotors
driven by the wheels.

When I grew up and needed one power mowers were available, and we
bought a petrol one from a big firm. When if died, they said it wasn't
worth repairing, it had a Briggs & Stratton engine, and they said that
was rubbish, get a Robin. When that died, they said it wasn't worth
repairing and the Robin engine was rubbish, get a Briggs & Stratton.

At that point we left and went to the little guy up the road and
bought an electric one. Long cord, but fewer moving parts, so lasts
longer. And the little guy repairs it and services it, and only tells
us to get a new one when it's really unfixable.

But with as manual mower, Tolkien's comments are completely
understandable.

[Stan Brown]

Post by Steve Hayes
At that point we left and went to the little guy up the road and
bought an electric one. Long cord, but fewer moving parts, so lasts
longer. And the little guy repairs it and services it, and only tells
us to get a new one when it's really unfixable.

A trustworthy mechanic is worth his or her weight in gold.

I wouldn't even consider a cutting-type appliance with a cord. Being
Mr. Clumsy, I would sooner or later -- probably sooner -- cut right
through the cord. But battery-operated ones are just right for me:
enough juice from a charge to get the job done, fewer moving parts,
very little maintenance, and no fluids!

If it were physically possible, I'd have a battery-operated
generator. (For those who don't know, in southern California the
power company shuts off power in times of high wind, because
otherwise their **uninsulated** transmission lines touch each other,
spark, and cause wildfires. The shutoffs can last for days, so either
you accept that you'll lose a fridgeful of food once or twice a year,
or you buy a generator for backup power.)

[Paul S Person]

On Sun, 14 Jun 2020 06:15:08 -0700, Stan Brown

Post by Stan Brown

Post by Steve Hayes
At that point we left and went to the little guy up the road and
bought an electric one. Long cord, but fewer moving parts, so lasts
longer. And the little guy repairs it and services it, and only tells
us to get a new one when it's really unfixable.

A trustworthy mechanic is worth his or her weight in gold.

Indeed.

Post by Stan Brown
I wouldn't even consider a cutting-type appliance with a cord. Being
Mr. Clumsy, I would sooner or later -- probably sooner -- cut right
enough juice from a charge to get the job done, fewer moving parts,
very little maintenance, and no fluids!

Indeed.

Post by Stan Brown
If it were physically possible, I'd have a battery-operated
generator. (For those who don't know, in southern California the
power company shuts off power in times of high wind, because
otherwise their **uninsulated** transmission lines touch each other,
spark, and cause wildfires. The shutoffs can last for days, so either
you accept that you'll lose a fridgeful of food once or twice a year,
or you buy a generator for backup power.)

Back when I had an "account" with /Consumer Reports/ (this was after
the theory that I was a "member of the Conumers' Union and the
magazine was a member benefit was replaced with a more ... aggressive
... model), they had something to say about emergency generators:

1) Gasoline is the fuel of choice.

2) It should be able to fully power your home and everything in it. No
skimping on output, sooner or later you're going to need it all.

I don't recall if they explicitly recommended a concrete pad, but
chances are any contractor installing something that large would
include one as a matter of course. Or zoning law.

[Bill O'Meally]

Post by Stan Brown
If it were physically possible, I'd have a battery-operated
generator. (For those who don't know, in southern California the
power company shuts off power in times of high wind, because
otherwise their **uninsulated** transmission lines touch each other,
spark, and cause wildfires. The shutoffs can last for days, so either
you accept that you'll lose a fridgeful of food once or twice a year,
or you buy a generator for backup power.)

When did you move to SoCal Stan? Far cry from Upstate NY! I recall
getting Finger Lake winery advice from you for my honeymoon back in
2003!

Tehachapi always makes me think of that Little Feat song "Willin'".

[Stan Brown]

Post by Bill O'Meally

Post by Stan Brown
If it were physically possible, I'd have a battery-operated
generator. (For those who don't know, in southern California the
power company shuts off power in times of high wind, because
otherwise their **uninsulated** transmission lines touch each other,
spark, and cause wildfires. The shutoffs can last for days, so either
you accept that you'll lose a fridgeful of food once or twice a year,
or you buy a generator for backup power.)

When did you move to SoCal Stan?

In late March of this year. Talk about bad timing! My sister and I
were driving a Budget Truck across the U.S. with my worldly goods,
and we felt like fourteenth-century European aristocrats fleeing the
plague. At almost every stop, we heard some variation on "you're
lucky you didn't get here a couple of days later, because we're under
a shutdown order effective tomorrow."

Post by Bill O'Meally
Far cry from Upstate NY! I recall
getting Finger Lake winery advice from you for my honeymoon back in
2003!

It's certainly different here, seeing wine and liquor sold in Costco,
in Walmart, in grocery stores including Aldi, even in dollar stores!
Prices are much lower, and the selection is surprisingly good, though
it isn't a patch on Northside Wines in Ithaca.