Garden(s) Implementation

OK, so maybe I'm being a bit old fashioned, but whatever happened to leaf-rakes? Everywhere these days they seem to be swinging little petrol powered blowers. I can kind of see how they're probably quicker on dry hard surfaces like concrete, but I just witnessed someone using on on grass. And I swear it would have been quicker and more environmentally friendly to use a plain old leaf-rake.

Which brings me to the first Garden Implement Olympiad some many summers ago now. Among the glorious events, such as the Lawn-Mowing Marathon and Baby Poo Pool[1], was Leaf-Rake Javelin. Initially it was all about distance, but after a while an accuracy component was added, whereby you were supposed to try to hit a duck. Much hysteria ensued the day someone almost did. I'm not sure who was more surprised: us, or the duck. If you're concerned about the welfare of said Leaf-Rakes, I'm sure that raking gravel paths (surely not their intended purpose) was worse. Either way, I think the were purchased in gross (that's a dozen dozen) cartons, at under a dollar a piece.

[1] Actually, it was more like, Retrieve the Baby Poo/Dead Hedgehog etc. from the Paddling Pool, but that was never my job. Although on very hot days, I almost wished that it was.