Designed by Dante
I have long held the view that suburbia is mostly a hell-scape. Most of us live there, but I do ask myself often: how could it have been done better? I read somewhere the big construction and auto companies in the U.S. pressured city halls in the post-war period into approving more and more suburbs with larger blocks with the intention of driving up demand for construction and motor vehicles. The work of the devil right there I tell you.
Evidence of Beelzebub's work is also clear in the rise of the leaf blower as an instrument of suburban torture. It's bad enough living next door to Fred and Rosemary West as I do, but I am also surrounded by 'men' who feel compelled to rev their leaf blowers at all hours of the weekend. Combined with assorted angle grinders, lawn mowers, lawn edgers and brush cutters, at times it sounds like a small engine testing facility has opened up next door to my house.
I reserve a higher level of contempt for the leaf blower though, conceived in the 7th circle of Hell by Dante and now in plague numbers in the suburbs. Their operators, almost exclusively men, are addicted to 'blipping' their wretched throttles. There is a special place set aside for these people in my version of Hell. That place will be silent. Absolutely silent.
Here are my preferred tools for dealing with leaves and other detritus in the garden:
Until next time, peace and love.
