heard one of the worst noises possible.

hillbille

yesterday while I was out walking, the dang neighbors are mowing the yards for the first time, for me mowing the yard ranks right up there with washing dishes, something that has to be done, just don't enjoy doing it.... was hoping for at least another month before we have to start

Rocky Raab

When I hear that, it's the lawn service mowing mine. Nice sound!

I decided years ago that huffing and puffing my way behind a mower for an hour was not how I wanted to kick the bucket. For $30 a week, they mow, trim, bag clippings, and blow the walks - in 20 minutes. Better, if they break a sprinkler head, one call and they come back and fix it.

mogley98

I use a rider I have better things to do than walk a mower

redhawkk480

Rocky Raab said:

When I hear that, it's the lawn service mowing mine. Nice sound!

I decided years ago that huffing and puffing my way behind a mower for an hour was not how I wanted to kick the bucket. For $30 a week, they mow, trim, bag clippings, and blow the walks - in 20 minutes. Better, if they break a sprinkler head, one call and they come back and fix it.

thinking about how much my last mower cost , I could have had about 5 years worth of mowing done at your rate

Alpine

I love mowing mine. I get the IPod, earmuffs, soft drink or ice tea. A little over 2 acres on the John Deere riding mower. The only thing better is the ATV in the mountains or Idaho.

Old-Colts

For me at 74, mowing a 1 acre lawn is good exercise; I mow about half of it with a Walk-Behind mower. I've already serviced my Lawn Tractor, Walk-Behind Mower, and the Edger/Trimmer/Blower.

Just waiting for the lawn to dry out enough to mow and bag for the first time this season; probably Friday.

toad67

I figure it's a way to get some exercise. I've already mowed mine three times this year...

Mr. Perfect

I'm still a couple weeks away from having to do that.

Smitty500mag

A lot of people won't mow their own yard but yet they'll pay to join a health club. They're the same ones that'll drive around the mall parking lot a dozen times until they find a parking spot close to the building where they can go in and buy a pair of running shoes or hiking boots. 

Rocky Raab

Guilty as charged. I pay to avoid pushing a mower for one hour, and then pay to push a golf cart for four!

BobJudy

When my riding mower deck finally wore out after 20 years I priced a new deck and found out it would cost more than the mower did originally. Bought a new Husqvarna yard tractor with deck for about 700 bucks more than the deck for the old mower. Sold the old mower and recouped most of the difference. At the same time I bought a new walk behind to do the tight spaces where the rider wouldn't fit. I find myself using it more and more for the exercise. Out of the 2 or so acres I might do a half acre or so with the walk behind.  This year I've got a bit of a mess because we had 6 inches of snow before all the leaves were down. If the yard would ever dry I'd get out the yard tractor and the cyclone rake and get them picked up but the weather just won't cooperate. Got a lot of large branches and a half dozen or so downed trees to get sawn up but the ground is just to wet to do it safely. Pity because I have a lot of free time because of the Michigan virus shut down. Bob

Brookwood

I've still got a bit of snow on the ground around my place.  Just the hard perma stuff that is so dense it takes a couple 60 degree days to dwindle it down.  My lawns are all on a slope which graduates to a quite steep incline.  For me a lawn tractor is a must.  I have a Kubota with a snowblower mounted just for winter time and a 24 horse Husqvarna 48" deck for lawn cutting.    

For me, Springtime just isn't Springtime without the smell of fresh cut grass and seeing Robins running around the yard!

asop

that happened to me on a date way back

buddyb

It took about an hour and a half to cut the lawn on my antique Snapper rider.I bought a a Hustler zero turn and now it takes about 20 minutes.

Idahobound

I have had about 3 inches of snow fall in the last 24 hours. I won’t be needing to mow anytime soon.

roswellnative

Toolman286

My property has a lot of slope & I got tired of sitting side-saddle on the tractor to keep it upright. Of course, the zero turn I bought is also zero traction so mowing involves a lot of slipping & sliding. It's like an E ticket ride at Disney.

dok2u

Nearby neighbors have already cut twice, so I couldn't take it any longer and got out the little push mower for around the house yesterday.  I was hoping that it wouldn't start, but no such luck!

Brookwood

When the time finally comes, before I will even think about firing up the lawn tractor, I have a backyard filled with a winters worth of K-9 land mines!  Wish I could just "mulch" them but not a very sanitary solution!  Then there are also a plethora of downed tree branches and pine cones to pick up.

drobs

Also have a riding mower. I don't mind mowing the lawn at all. Mow about 2-3 acres. Usually dream about shooting at my steel gong (drive-by practice) while riding the mower. Still haven't.

TL/DR (Too Long / Didn't Read)-

So... Last fall, we took our Husqvarna riding mower in to get it serviced. It wouldn't stay running. Asked the shop doing the work to put new blades on it and fix the mower deck. Years ago I hit a some big rocks and busted the adjustment / hanger connection on the deck. I used bailing wire to fix that.

While it was at the shop getting worked on I tore apart a fabric / cushioned chair to put in the trash. The dump won't take furniture. Breaking up the chair I can burn the wood in it and pack the fabric and foam into trash bags that the dump will take. Well, I misplaced a couple of the springs from the chair off the driveway.

Got the mower back from being serviced and immediately hit one of those metal springs popping one of the tires!! I have a tire plug kit and plugged the tire, only to learn Brad had tubes put in all 4 tires years ago.

It gets worse...

I take the wheel / tire off and drop it off back to the same service shop (20 - 30 minutes away). They patch the tube, air up the tire and give it back to me.  I get back the to the house and... the tire is flat!!!

Pump it up myself and leave it overnight. In the morning  - still flat!

I take it in again (20 minute drive) tell them I need them to fix it again. Another guy grabs it, takes the tire off the wheel, puts the tube in their water tank and finds another hole in the tube patches that one. The 1st guy says - "You couldn't miss the 1st hole I patched - it was huge!!"

2nd guy airs it up and gives me back the tire & wheel.

I drive 20 minutes home...

Flat again!!!

I say screw it, air it up, put it on the mower and mow the lawn.

Well now I have Crop Circles in the lawn and a flat tire. I'm hoping the crop circles are just from the flat tire but if I had to guess, when they fixed the deck they left it crooked.

I parked the riding mower and used a push mower to cut around the house for the last mow of last year.

 

Mobuck

I may just let mine grow and bale it in July--maybe get a second cutting in September.
Yard mowing is such a waste of everything involved.

Don McManus

Rocky Raab said:

When I hear that, it's the lawn service mowing mine. Nice sound!

I decided years ago that huffing and puffing my way behind a mower for an hour was not how I wanted to kick the bucket. For $30 a week, they mow, trim, bag clippings, and blow the walks - in 20 minutes. Better, if they break a sprinkler head, one call and they come back and fix it.

Agreed, Rocky..
I still do some clean up trimming and take care of the beds, but basic lawn maintenance no longer has any meaning for me.

Rocky Raab

Don, I bought a cheap little light duty string trimmer to keep my sprinkler heads clear (the service often misses one or two) and I help my wife with her flower beds, but that's it. The only "walk behind" I do now is my golf cart or the snow blower - MUCH more of the former than the latter.

Don McManus

Rocky Raab said:

Don, I bought a cheap little light duty string trimmer to keep my sprinkler heads clear (the service often misses one or two) and I help my wife with her flower beds, but that's it. The only "walk behind" I do now is my golf cart or the snow blower - MUCH more of the former than the latter.

I keep an old reel type push mower that I use on occasion.  I also spend much more time behind by golf push cart that any type of lawn maintenance equipment.  Have a little hand held spreader for fertilizer or weed control pellets if I think the maintenance crew missed something, but it is only use a couple of time a year.
Same service plows the driveway during the winter.  Have a snow shovel to clear things as necessary depending upon the amount of snow and timing, but they charge far less per hour than I believe my time is worth. 

Bubba Jr.

I have 6 acres to mow so I use my Kubota with heat and A/C.

https://imgur.com/Z1R9BDc

BTW, I do take off the loader to mow. This picture was taken the day I traded my old Kubota for this one. 

hoosier

Yep,  did ours yesterday.

Had to  get  spark pugs and  filter  for the  10 year old Self Propelled.

Lowe's had a  Craftsman  23" Self Propelled  for  $ 199.00 marked down from  $ 499.00 Amazon has them for  $ 674.00, with  great  reviews.         Wife's Birthday!!

 $199.99 - 10%  Veteran discount + Tax.    I got the  other  filter and SP  too.

Got it home.  Guess I didn't  read all the box right.  It's  Battery  powered, was going to take it back  (30 day  return?.)

Plugged it in  4 hours later,  my  wife is in love.  No load noise, plenty of  power, variable speed and  much's with out  extra kit.  Says  1/3 Acre on  full charge,  That about  what  we do around the  fence line and  around the  house. Will see how it  holds up, andl save on  GAS.   I use the  Rider for the  other  acre.