An Environmental Lawnmower

So, we are moving in a couple of weeks and I will have the most esteemed pleasure of mowing the lawn; it's been a few years since I had to mow a lawn.  Yes, though the banks and the realty companies tell you that homeowners have it made, it is the renter that smiles when his landlord is shoveling the driveway in a blizzard or mowing in a heat wave.

Anyway, I have to buy a lawnmower...

Of course, this is a small city lot, and I do have a machete.  Maybe if I ... nah, I  guess I have to get one.

Am I now doomed to join the ranks of noisy lawn-destroying denizens that terrorize the peacefulness of the neighborhood?

Of course, I could avoid those noisy contraptions, all the maintenance, and the yanking of my shoulder out of its socket.  Yep, I'm thinking about buying a reel mower.  And no, that is not a misspelling of "real."

Now the last time I used a reel mower, I think I was 12 and the blades hadn't been sharpened since before the Korean War.  It was a pretty good workout from what I remember.  According to what I've been reading the new reel mowers are fast, quiet, require little maintenance, and best all are environmentally friendly.

I found a website extolling the virtues of reel mowers  Green Your Lawn with a Push Reel Lawn Mower

So far I am looking at a model from Fiskars with an adjustable cutting length.  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Snakes in the Niagara Gorge

Image
Who would have thought that the largest snake I ever saw in New York would be in the Niagara Gorge.   Yesterday I went hiking with a friend from the SAR team down into the Gorge.  Yes, we hiked under the guise of "physical conditioning" and getting ready for the work-capacity test, but in a place that is wild and unique as the Gorge - it is the best design I've even seen for a gym.   After descending the ailing Whirlpool stairs and making the rounds by the Flats we headed down the trail toward the old Great Gorge Railway stop in the rapids.  As an old hand in the area, I was leading the way and then something large moved on the ground just ahead of my feet. I stopped dead, then turned to Jamie, saying "look, it's a snake!"  We both stared at the slithering snake sunning itself on a patch of open ground.  Its unblinking reptilian eyes stared back at the two hikers, probably wondering if they were going to hurt it.  It curled itself in...
Read more

Initial Review of the OKC Ranger Little Bird Knife

Image
Though my gear reviews are tediously long and comprehensive in their tests, this is my initial impression of the Ontario Little Bird knife.  Before lashing out at my general lack of cohesiveness and use of hardcore testing methods which snap blades in half, please remember that this is an initial review only.   First of all - I have a lot of knives - a lot of them.  That said, I am extremely picky about the ones I carry.  Unfortunately, most of my knives sit unused and under-appreciated in boxes in my basement.    There is something, when you first hold a knife in your hand, when you can tell it is meant for you.  Or perhaps you are meant for it.  Who knows what ancient chemistry awakens when we touch a fine blade?  Perhaps this is the "riddle of steel" after all.   OKC Little Bird Specifications:  Manufacturer: Ontario Knives OKC (Ranger) Model: Little Bird II Overall Length: 4.25 inches Blade Length: 1.8 inche...
Read more

The SAR 24-Hour Pack in Winter

Image
The air is getting a little chillier, and hunting season is coming: it's the busy season for Search and Rescue teams.  Thinking back to November in prior years, this is the time when resources are stretched looking for lost hikers, missing hunters, and those who have wandered away in the night. Search and Rescue in Winter I also recall heading out to searches where searchers were vastly unprepared to deal with the weather, terrain, and other issues of conducting SAR in a winter environment.  I've seen people show up for searches in snow wearing sneakers and jeans - of course, they aren't carrying any water or basic survival supplies either. Yes, though it is hard to control what the myriad of volunteers bring with them, as SAR team members - we must do our best to be prepared for all conditions. Though clothing and footwear is a huge component for venturing out into the woods, what I think we should talk about first is the 24-hour pack.  Yes, we could load all...
Read more