Into the Ditch

The other day began with the blonde dog barking and the old gray Dowager Retriever joining-in for good measure.  They were giving voice to the clattering of what I figured was farm machinery moving down the road.  Slowly down the road.

Walking to the end of the driveway I observed a tag-team of county highway guys approach, pass me with a friendly wave and continue on their way clearing the ditch.  They use flail mowers for ease of maneuvering and navigating over stuff lurking in the tall grass of the ditch.  Instead of the usual single operator the second machine actually drives down into the bottom of the ditch to clear it wide-enough.

Likely, wide-enough to see the whitetail before it jumps out in front of your vehicle and smacks you.  

It's a safety thing and the final cut before autumn arrives and the snow begins to fly.