That Darn Bank!

It was full dark with no moon that evening. I had piled a pretty impressive stack of branches and sticks beside our driveway. All of a sudden inside the house my cell phone rang.  This strange sounding male voice that also sounded very like my husband said, Help! Help me! I can’t get up!  In trying to pitch the yard trash over the guard rail along our drive, he also pitched himself (all 6’2”) over the guard rail and then rolled all the way down to land in a patch of bushes almost at the bottom.

We live 70 feet above US 19 with access and egress directly onto 19 from our driveway.  Fifteen years ago we moved into a house with very good bones and lots of elbow grease needed. There was no landscaping except for a couple of trees on the edges.  That bank was truly ugly! Over those years intervening a LOT of work has gone into the interior and exterior of our first home we ever owned.

I have had my own encounters with that bank as well.  It is a very steep incline so weeding and planting is often very dicey to say the least! Thistles seem to prosper prolifically on that darn bank and they have to be sprayed and pulled.  It’s difficult to pull or spray with one hand holding on to a root.

Recently I found a fabulous product that makes a huge difference: STABILicer Lite Ice Cleats from Discount Safety Gear. I can actually keep from sliding with these wonderful cleats.  They are meant for winter safety but work great for dust or mud safety on that darn bank!

~AH