Our grandfather, Bert Price, lived with us. A man of simple means, he was intrigued with farm equipment however never desired to obtain a driver’s license. He did the majority of his transportation on foot, walking miles upon miles. After his retirement as a railroad switchman, he provided a variety of services throughout the neighborhood. When weeds needed clearing from a steep embankment, Bert got the call.  The embankment angle was too steep for lawn mowers, so he used a sickle and scythe. The scythe had a four foot curved cutting blade, attached to a long handle, held with both hands. Long slow swipes cleared the weeds. For narrow areas, the hand-held sickle was just as effective. Both were kept sharp with a wet-stone. When Briggs and Stratton mowers were compromised by rain, Bert stayed on the job without consequence.