The Blog Farm

Monday, April 5, 2010

Mr. Miyagi style

Ever since my brothers and I were little, my parents always found unique ways to teach us valuable life lessons....Mr. Miyaga style. Much like in the movie, The Karate Kid, many of these lessons came with a task such as washing the car, mowing the lawn, cleaning the pasture, or weeding the garden....I can hear Mr. Miyaga now..."wax on, wax off".

It was a family rite of passage when you became old enough to mow the lawn...(and we're not talking riding lawn mower here) ....and this was of course only after your several year term of car washing and cow poop duty. Lawn duty was a big deal because you got $20 a week....(this was a 2-3 hour job). Regardless of the task at hand, dad always taught us to do a good job and if we didn't....he would firmly but gently make us do it over....In fact, his phrase, "if you're going to do something, do it right the first time" is forever etched in my mind. In addition to teaching us kids to work hard he always taught us to be kind, play fair and to do your part. I don't think I realized it at the time, (like Daniel in the movie) but those menial chores actually taught me things like patience, kindness, honesty and team work. This past weekend was no exception. Our family got together over the Easter weekend and my dad, having recently purchased a new rototiller, decided we should have a lesson on how to operate it. As you can see from the picture, there is some definite team work going on here....by the time dad was done "teaching" the boys how to operate the rototiller, the garden tilling was nearly done. Way to go dad!

Check out the pic below for a close up version of the new rototiller!

17 comments:

  1. We are definitely a continuation of our parents when remember and exercise what they taught us. I'm sure your father's parents taught him the same set of values.

    I would kill for that rototiller....and a few acres of fertile land to go with it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mr. Miagi
    Taught me how to fight
    And how to wash my car
    All I really need to get far
    In this world
    Fighting and trying to survive
    Just so I can be

    (From a song I wrote a long time ago. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Now that, is the ultimate garden accessory.

    Mr. Miagi is my hero.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I definitely agree with you Thomas...I was lucky enough to grow up right next door to my grandparents and yes they did teach my dad the same set of values...As for the rototiller, dad got tired of renting one of those big klunky ones for $60 a day...He got the new one for about $300...I know it will pay for itself...come farmer's market time.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Very cool Otis....Mr Miyaga was a legend...one of my favorite movies....you will sing us the song next time you come over???

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ribbit...I hand dig my own garden which is only 25ft x 25ft but yes the rototiller is a necessary tool for our family garden. : )

    ReplyDelete
  7. A very nice tiller.:)

    Learning from our elders is as it should be. I worry about this next generation and who will be teaching them though. It seems like everyone is too busy to share knowledge these days, I'm glad to see that your family is still keeping this important tradition alive.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks Mr. H....I agree...I consider myself so incredibly lucky to have been close to both sets of grandparents and even to some of my great grandparents....Many kids today do not have the opportunity to live near family and yes it seems everyone is way too busy... Thanks for you comment!

    ReplyDelete
  9. rototiller envy over here.....

    what a beauty.

    kary waiting for Teddy

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ha! Thanks Kary....I can't wait to see that little guy : )

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love that tiller! If I only had enough space for one of them :-) I remember having to cut the lawn as a kid. My Dad always got rotten lawnmowers out of the garbage and I'd have to push them with the wheels falling off etc. Needless to saw we have different views on thriftiness!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Lol Dan...I agree...definitely worth paying a little extra for a good lawnmower.

    ReplyDelete
  13. That looks like a "hoss"! If we had an in-ground garden, i'd kill for one of those tillers....

    ReplyDelete
  14. Ha EG...it does work very well...way better than those you can rent :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. I think it's great your parents taught you and your sibling in this way.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I am very glad to see such information; resources like the one you mentioned here will be very useful to us. This is very nice one and gives in-depth information.

    ReplyDelete
  17. So informative. Thanks for sharing this.

    ReplyDelete