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Hernando Today

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For love of country

By TONY HOLT

Hernando Today

Published: July 3, 2009

SPRING HILL - All Diego Gomez needs is a weed trimmer and a few gallons of paint.
He also gets a little help from his son and neighbor.
Every July 4, Gomez converts his yard into his own personal display of patriotism.
He likes it when strangers drive by to check out his handiwork or when his friend across the street gives him a compliment. What matters most are the compliments from veterans and the comfort he feels knowing those fighting abroad aren't forgotten on Independence Day.
"I love this country," said the Costa Rican-born landscaper. "I appreciate it. The (U.S.) lets me work here, live here and have a family here. I'd do anything for my country."
Gomez works for the school district landscaping the athletic fields. He also runs his own landscaping business, known as D Lawn Care. He married a New Yorker and has two children, ages 20 and 16.
His house is at 2256 Rio Circle, a short distance northwest of the corner of Spring Hill Drive and Mariner Boulevard.
He uses the weed trimmer to cut the grass down to the dirt. He uses over-the-counter paint to color the designs.
No two designs have been the same since he began the ritual 10 years ago. Once his front yard read "God Bless America," while this year it reads "Happy 4th of July."
Diego also sometimes decorates his yard on Sept. 11 and he hopes to do that again this year.
He doesn't use measuring tape or straight edges.
He relies mostly on the naked eye.
For measurements, he uses his feet. Ten paces equal 10 feet.
Below the wording is the image of an American flag and the head of a bald eagle. He used red, white, blue, yellow and brown paint.
Because of the rain in the area during the past few days, he and his neighbor had to cover the yard and repaint it at least four times, he said.
The bulk of the work was done Wednesday. From noon to 8 p.m., Diego cut the grass and painted over the designs.
"People stop by and they can't believe it," he said.
Diego doesn't have to wait long for the grass to return. The blades will start to poke out of the surface by today, he said.
He uses Bahia grass, which he said is a resilient turf that grows fast.
By the end of next week, his lawn will be back to normal, he said.
Brian Kane, who lives across the street, helped him with some of the work.
He noticed the new neighbor next to him was stunned when he came home and noticed Diego's lawn.
"He got out of his truck and said, 'How does this guy (do) this?'" Kane said.
Diego dedicates his work to those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Those guys over there get no barbecue," he said. "There's no party for them to go to. This is just a way to let them know we're still thinking of them, you know?"