You’ve expressed so well what many of us are feeling about this mysterious and
wonderful pageant. As they trundle on walk or roadway, they receive ample room
from my feet and bike wheel.
Stephanie
Sent from my iPad
On May 26, 2021, at 3:39 PM, "rengelman@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:rengelman@xxxxxxxxx>"
<rengelman@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:rengelman@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
In contrast to the din of the leaf blowers, I'm really enjoying the Song of the
Cicadas. Despite the media hype, so far at least it's not at all loud (never
masking motor noise), and a once-in-17-years thrill. As a musician, I've been
trying to figure out if there's a definite pitch. Almost, but not quite. I
find, amazingly, that when I'm listening to music outdoors on
non-noise-canceling headphones or earbuds, the cicadas produce a lovely drone
that goes quite nicely with music -- in any key -- as though the composer had
notated "cicada chorus here." It's flat out glorious.
Then there's the question of where the sound is coming from. Sometimes it
sounds like it's in a definite direction, but when I walk or or jog in that
direction, I find it's coming from somewhere else -- obviously from everywhere,
kind of like the "sound" of cosmic background radiation from the birth of the
universe.
Despite my sadly splattered porch and walkway, the constant effort to get the
struggling insects off their backs and back into the air, and the surprises I
keep finding in my hair and on my clothes, I'll miss these critters when they
pass on. I can only hope there's one more emergence in my lifetime, but at my
age that's not all that likely.
________________________________
From: "Michael Sitar" <michaelasitar@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:michaelasitar@xxxxxxxxx>>
To: north-takoma@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:north-takoma@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, May 26, 2021 3:21:24 PM
Subject: [north-takoma] Re: Leaf-blower folks: pls email me directly
On the "bright" side....
The Cicadas will
"Mask" the sound
of any leaf blower, helicopter..
...maybe not a Jumbo Jet at low altitude...
Michael
On Wed, May 26, 2021, 2:30 PM Anne Glusker
<anneglusker@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:anneglusker@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Hi Anne, Susan, Paul, Tiffany, Robert & everyone interested in taking some
sort of action to deal with the leaf-blower issue:
Since our new listserv doesn’t show senders’ email addresses — so annoying! —
would you be kind enough to share your email address with me directly at
anneglusker@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:anneglusker@xxxxxxxxx>?
I’ll be looking into possible courses of action in a few weeks & will get back
to anyone who’s interested after I find out more.
Thanks,
Anne on Baltimore
------
Anne Glusker
646.404.2806
she/her/hers
On May 26, 2021, at 1:54 PM, Anne Burson
<dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
I'm so glad this topic was brought up! As a music teacher having to teach from
home during the pandemic, the sound of leaf blowers and other power tools, has
been very disruptive. I was afraid to say anything, especially during the fall
when cleaning up leaves was what everyone was doing. But even right now - I'm
trying to record a song for my autism class and I will have to stop for now. I
HATE the sound of leaf blowers - pandemic or no pandemic. I would LOVE it if
Takoma Park would ban them altogether.
Anne on Alfred Drive
On Sunday, May 23, 2021, 01:36:47 PM EDT, Mark Verschell
<dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Having done LOTS of research on leaf blowers, I highly recommend the EGO line.
Their Power+ 650 is ludicrously strong and the battery lasts for our .37 acres.
They also have a commercial line.
Mark
Email from the Id
On May 19, 2021, at 2:45 PM, Anne Glusker
<anneglusker@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:anneglusker@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Seconding that emotion. Strongly. As I have before. Thank you, Diane. (And I
actually *have* AC! ... The sound of the leaf blowers penetrates your cranium
even with the AC on.)
A couple of thoughts, because I know there are many neighbors who actively like
their yards to be leaf blown or else just don’t know quite what to say to their
landscapers:
1) Consider asking your landscaping company to buy a quieter, more ecological
leaf blower (I believe one brand is called Echo:
https://www.leafblowernoise.com/). The noise pollution not only affects
neighbors, it’s terrible for the workers’ health.
2) Consider asking your landscaping company to use rakes & brooms instead of
leaf blowers. This could result in higher bills for you, more time spent by the
landscaper, and possibly a messier yard. I have told our landscaper repeatedly
not to use blowers, but sometimes the crew forgets, much to my chagrin &
embarrassment (since it makes me look bad in the eyes of our lovely neighbors
who know all about my passionate dislike of leaf blowers!). I have kept at it,
and I think the message may have finally sunk in that leaf blowers are not
welcome at 7319. (But please, if you’re ever passing by & hear a leaf blower,
let me know!) I have also repeatedly told our landscaper that I don’t care if
the yard looks a little messier — after all, in the words of my friend who runs
a landscaping company in DC (which has successfully switched to the low-noise
blowers): “It’s nature, it’s not your living room!”
3) Consider asking the landscaper to use the blowers only for big cleanups —
once a year, maybe.
For anyone who shares Diane’s & my feelings on this fascinating topic: Email me
off list (annegluskerATgmail) & perhaps we can discuss an effort to try to get
TP or Montgomery County to enact some sort of ordinance requiring the use of
the low-noise blowers (as I believe DC has done) or banning them altogether
(perish the thought!) or setting certain hours or days for their use. Food for
thought.
Now we can all go back to thinking about living in a country with no Roe v.
Wade, no inquiry into Jan. 6, and the list goes on.
Yours in neighborliness,
Anne on B’more
------
Anne Glusker
646.404.2806
she/her/hers
On May 19, 2021, at 2:07 PM, Diane Bartz
<dkbartz@xxxxxxxxx<mailto:dkbartz@xxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Hey,
We're working at home and windows are open... NO! THEY ARE NOT BECAUSE
OF LEAF BLOWERS!!
If you hire landscapers, please for the love of god and all that is
holy ask them to desist from using leaf-blowers. The noise is making
it hard to work even though I had to close my windows.
No, I don't have air con.
Bests,
Diane Bartz
