Steely Dan and steel clippers

I was up early both days this weekend to weed the backyard before the sun cleared the neighbor's trees (9am, more or less). Too hot this weekend to weed in the sun.

I time my weeding by using the Steely Dan albums on my iPod. A short weeding is a one-album weed; a long weeding is a two-album [*]. I think Steely Dan and yardwork go together so well for me because, depending on my mood, I can tune in to the clever lyrics or tune out with the beautiful jazz-pop. Aja is my favorite album, with The Royal Scam, Katy Lied, and Gaucho getting frequent play as well.

Final results for the weekend: one 40-gallon compost bin and four 30-gallon bags at curbside for tomorrow's pickup. The backyard is still junglesque, but a circular path from one side of the porch to the other now runs between the grass and the trees, and that was my basic goal.

( [*] It would actually be more appropriate to listen to Steely Dan while spooning sugar than while pulling weeds, if you know what I mean and I think that you do.)