The Edge

I edge the lawn along the driveway with a flat spade. Straight down, pull back, clean line. It's about twenty minutes and it's the best twenty minutes I get all year. I'm not going to describe how satisfying it is. You'd just want one.

Every spring I go a little deeper, because the first time I did it, it wasn't quite deep enough. I could see a little grass trying to cross. So you take a bit more. You can't go wrong. You can only go lower.

Last week my wife was backing out and said, "Is the lawn lower than the driveway?"

I said that's called definition.

She said it was about four inches.

I said there's a lot of definition in four inches.

I measured it. It's five. And it's not a line anymore, it's a trench. There are weeds growing in the trench. I've made a canal.

I'm not saying the lawn has sunk. I'm saying the driveway has risen. I'm saying it's gotten a little above itself.

I've promised myself that next spring I'll go shallow. I've said that before.

The spade is by the door. It's looking at me.