Just found this thread...and it makes me happy. I've let the grass go; gave the lawn mower away and got rid of the gas can. Now it's "weeds" - beautiful, interesting, native weeds, like rough fruit scale seed which is feeding black swallowtail butterfly larva and milkweed vines for the monarchs. The paths are crushed granite and free mulch from the county. When it gets too tall, I use a little battery-operated weed eater to take it down a bit. Eye protection is used, but no ear muffs are necessary. So glad I live in the country and don't have to worry about neighbors complaining or deed restrictions. The back acreage is native oak trees and thickets. The front pastures are wildflowers. Maybe I'll stop calling them pastures and refer to them as "meadows" from now on. I like this movement! It feels like the right direction to me. I find new surprises in my "walk on the wild side yard" every day.
Thanks for starting this thread, Glen. I feel at home here.