Peace Interrupted

A day in late August in North Carolina with no humidity and temps in the low 80’s is a rare thing indeed.  It is a perfect Saturday to take Shay out for a long walk and get a little exercise for both of us.  As Shay led me down the least busy street in the neighborhood I was able to close my eyes and lift my face to the warming sun.  It was peaceful and serene and perfect.  I opened my eyes just a big yellow butterfly flew inches in front of my face.  She must have been attracted to my bright pink shirt.

Shay and I walked and enjoyed the solitude and my heart was happy, but then it happened.  The bucolic nature of the walk was suddenly ripped apart by the blaring sound of leaf blower.  A jet could not put out more decibels than the single horsepower engine spurting out air for the sole purpose of moving a few pine needles off a driveway.  When did the world become so obsessed with having driveways they could eat off of?

I’m all for people keeping their yards nice, but damn I wish yard tool manufactures would invent silent mowers and blowers.  We sent men to the moon almost 45 years ago with no help of computers but yet we still have small gas powered engines that should be run while wearing ear protection.

Unfortunately weekdays and early mornings are no better in my neighborhood since most everyone, including me has a lawn service.  The other day I rode down my street and I could hardly get through because competing lawn companies had parked across from each other and were both trying to blow their grass clippings from their client’s side of the street to the other side.  It was like an old west showdown with leaf blowers.

I know that both Shay and I need to walk more, but I really would prefer if there were a few mower/blower free hours of the day to take those walks.  Actually, I think that I need to call up that Dyson genius and get him on this problem.  If he could just invent the silent lawn tool line I would work hard to make sure we outlawed the noisy kind.  Until a silent model exists I guess I have to live with the loud.