20090518

Reel mower


When I lived in the US, I actually went through the trouble of procuring a reel mower imported from Germany. Little did I know that I would find people using power mowers practically everywhere I look in Switzerland, and that manual mowers would be relegated to decorative uses. Go figure...

20090513

13 comments:

Antjas said...

With all that verdant green that you have been sharing with us, I would hope a power mower is being used. The contrast in color and form is eye catching.

Halcyon said...

I must admit that I prefer it for its decorative properties. Although my MiL in Germany does actually use one. But her yard is small.

Dina said...

Ha, good shot and good observation on it.
We lived in America for a few years in the 80s and used such a mower too. They have a nice sound.

Gruetsi from Jerusalem.

wellingtonia said...

Hi Z

Are you shure it's for decoration?
The wheels and the colored metal are without any damages.
I think it's still on use and hangs on a untypicall place !

wellingtonia

Virginia said...

I've pushed one of those a few times myself. Lovely compostion in this photo.
V

Baron's Life said...

oes to prove nothing is cast in stone...A great shot

A Lady's Life said...

I can understand that I got myself a foot sewing machine for the looks. But its fun using it and if I ever get stuck with no electricity while sewing I will most certainly use it.
:)

claude said...

The gardener has probably a small lauwn to mower. We can start it with a key and we can mot seat on it, like mine !

Z said...

A lot of interest in reel mowers...

Antjas: You're right, the large fields in most of the photos that appear here are best handled with power tools. Actually, they're also mowed less regularly (pasture land).

Halcyon: Kudos to your MiL!!!

Dina: Grüezi! I agree, they do sound nice. I don't know how the 80s models were, but the latest ones are very smooth in their operation.

Wellingtonia: I'm not sure, but the garden that these people have has almost no grass (at least what is visible from the street, where the mower is displayed). The part that does have grass is on a slope. And don't you think it's too clean to be in use?? :-)

Virginia, Baron: Thanks!

Lady: That's the spirit!

Claude: See answer to Wellingtonia above.

Z said...

Tash: I don't recall your Hochdorf mowing story... Are you sure you told me?

You're right, there were not many people with manual mowers around me. I had a small row house lawn then, so it was doable with a reel mower. My neighbors had either electric mowers (with cords -- a concept I'm surprised actually existed in the US, with the emphasis on safe and foolproof products there) or gas/petrol ones.

Tash said...

More on the Sunday mowing story - we let the grass get really long, kept meaning to cut it, then it would rain & clear. We went to Titlis in the morning and got back around 3 pm - plenty of time to cut the grass. Our good friends from down the road later told us the neighbors were talking & it wasn't good. We really didn't even think that someone would mind. We were very careful afterwards.

tapirgal said...

The mower in its setting certainly IS decorative! It's a beautiful photo. Your style is interesting with the square images and the frames. A nice discovery for me today :)

Victor said...

It's a beautiful photo. Here on Gabriola, lots of folks are using these motorless mowers. Hard work but nice and quiet.