Success! And no snakes or turtles were harmed! :)
Little Buddy overheated a bit - I could smell something like rubber or a belt. I quit on the bank & mowed the rest of the place after letting LB cool off a bit (& made sure the mower deck belts were clear of debris). Got the rest of the place done just as the sun went down behind the mountain. I went back to the bank in cooler temps & was able to finish it.
Per the interview with Amy Tan, she got Lymes & that gave her epilepsy so she can’t go on birding trips, etc. Fortunately, her back yard works & she originally wanted to be an artist, but knew her parents wouldn’t be happy with that. She seems to have gotten to a ‘really good place’ with her backyard birds & art. The interview was on NPR if there’s a way to go back & find it.