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Here's a statement of the obvious: The opinions expressed here are those of the participants, not those of the Mutual Fund Observer. We cannot vouch for the accuracy or appropriateness of any of it, though we do encourage civility and good humor.

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Comments

  • I totally agree, although the electric ones aren't too bad.
  • @Old_Joe Would that be know as a ELB?
  • Hi @Derf- I think that I've seen that, but it's not a very common term. I only use electric, both corded and battery.
  • Don’t get me started. Leaf blowers drive me crazy. I have a hearing condition that makes sounds seem louder and leaf blowers in particular. The professional blowers love to goose the throttle. Our neighbor has a gardener who starts at 0730 in the summer to beat the heat.
  • edited November 16
    I purchased a battery-powered blower last year.
    It's quieter than a gas-powered blower and the sound is less annoying — but it still irritates me.
  • "but it still irritates me"

    Yeah- same here. And the battery models are so damned heavy that my arms get very tired after 15 or 20 minutes. But at 86, these things happen.
  • edited November 16
    I generally don’t mess with leaves. If it’s a nice day and I want some exercise I’ll rake the worst areas. You can get away with that in rural areas. Your lawn mower will do some mulching as well. And the snow covers them from late November to April.:)

    I did buy a very nice battery operated leaf blower this summer after an invasive weed (Mares Tail) began poking up through my new asphalt driveway. It thrives on decaying organic matter and so I endeavor to keep the leaves a few feet from the edge. Have had good luck as well using Ox Bow weed killer.

    While powerful, I doubt my new blower would run much longer than 20 minutes at full force without a recharge. Lots of sounds are annoying. The WSJ ran an article several months ago about people who have had pickleball courts installed near their homes. Drive ya batty for sure!
  • larryB said:

    Don’t get me started. Leaf blowers drive me crazy. I have a hearing condition that makes sounds seem louder and leaf blowers in particular. The professional blowers love to goose the throttle. Our neighbor has a gardener who starts at 0730 in the summer to beat the heat.

    Do you have what I have?
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensory_processing_sensitivity
  • @Crash. I think I have hyperacusis , increased sensitivity to sound and a low tolerance for environmental noise. And tinnitus.
  • +1. I see... Well, it sucks just the same, eh?
  • hank said "I did buy a very nice battery operated leaf blower this summer after an invasive weed (Mares Tail) began poking up through my new asphalt driveway. It thrives on decaying organic matter and so I endeavor to keep the leaves a few feet from the edge. Have had good luck as well using Ox Bow weed killer."
    Hard to believe unless one has witness this ! Many years back I observed a dandelion that broke the surface of a fairly new asphalt road. No crack or surface damage to the asphalt.
  • Proof that there is no justice in the world.
  • Name, in Derf's case it's just Mother Nature showing you that she will always have the last word.
  • I've taken to wearing over-the-ear noise cancellation headphones when using outdoor power equipment, particularly the lawn tractor and leaf blower. Bonus is that I can listen to music or audiobooks.

    I do a lot of yard care with a 1/2 acre and more than a dozen trees. I actually like the exercise and satisfaction of the process. It can get labor intensive in the fall though. I have already put out over 100 yard waste bags since October 1.
  • edited 2:10PM
    I pay a high price for the pleasure of never again needing to rake leaves or move snow. (Nor do I have to endure those temperatures!) Part of that price is the fact that there is a narrow wind tunnel between the apt. structure and parking structure; noise travels upward. The crew downstairs with their weed whackers and leaf blowers thankfully comes no more often than once per week. The source of all snow is Satan's orifice.
  • LOL - my driveway is about 1500 sq ft. Clearing it is an art form. You have to take into account the snow type (wet or dry), the amount, the wind speed/direction and where you want it to be piled up. I will be getting out the snowblower in a week or so to run it. It is a bad idea to wait until there is a foot of wet stuff to try and start it for the season.
  • DrVenture said:

    LOL - my driveway is about 1500 sq ft. Clearing it is an art form. You have to take into account the snow type (wet or dry), the amount, the wind speed/direction and where you want it to be piled up. I will be getting out the snowblower in a week or so to run it. It is a bad idea to wait until there is a foot of wet stuff to try and start it for the season.

    +1. giggle.

    (Quietly, I suggest that living in such an environment is not mandatory. I remember a fellow, many years ago, who is originally from Iowa. He noticed out loud that it gets to 110F. degrees there in summer, and MINUS -20F in the winter. So, he moved to Mississippi.)
  • What an improvement!
  • @DrVenture who said: "I do a lot of yard care with a 1/2 acre and more than a dozen trees. I actually like the exercise and satisfaction of the process. It can get labor intensive in the fall though. I have already put out over 100 yard waste bags since October 1."

    Same for me but on 3.5 acres. Having said that, less than one acre is what I consider rakeable and even then I'd never bag it, nor have I. I do run the J.Deere through the leaf mat to to break it up and then I put the bagging assembly on the mower to collect quite a bit of it. I dump all that in a pile in my garden to break down/compost over winter. Labor intensive for sure but I do find like you, the exercise to be satisfying.
  • @Mark That is a good system. Particularly for a lot that size.

  • Old_Joe said:

    What an improvement!

    LOL - Hmmm! Minus 20 or Mississippi? I will be "dressing in layers".

  • edited 5:17PM
    ”a dozen trees”

    We got ya beat by at least 9,088. Too many to count. Love noise cancelling headphones. Priceless.
  • @hank Do you own a tree farm, or just wooded acreage?
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