BLIND LAWNMOWING
It probably isn’t a good idea to mix drinking and blindfolded mowing. Then again, mixing anything with blindfolded mowing doesn’t seem prudent, but that doesn’t deter the Detroit Mower Gang, a volunteer group that helps take care of city parks and playgrounds. The blindfold part came recently when, as part of trimming the City’s Hammerberg Field they wanted to see who could drive their lawn tractors the straightest while blindfolded. They called it Blindfold Mowing Olympics. Two of the six contestants mowed an X in the field as they crossed each others’ paths. Fortunately, they were moving at different speeds so they missed each other (oh, and the drinking came afterwards). Detroit has 300 city parks but, because of its money crunch, can only tend half of them. That’s where the Mower Gang comes in. “I tried to make it sound like fun, and they fell for it,” he said about his marauding mowers. On a recent Wednesday night, a dozen volunteers turned up, armed with lawn tractors. “I just want to make a difference,” said the organiser “with, or without, a blindfold."

LEAVE MY MOWER ALONE
Someone did a good job on Andrew Sentance, former Monetary Policy Committee member, who spoke at the AEA Conference a few years ago. He has come out in favour of staying in the EU on the basis that his lawnmower works perfectly. He Tweeted “Mowed lawn today with my EU-regulated lawnmower. Did the job pretty well. So why is EU regulation so bad? Perhaps #VoteLeave can explain?”.

TORO MUSIC WHILE YOU MOW
Just in time for summer, Toro today debuted a music-streaming station on Pandora, featuring songs that celebrate the connection between people and their lawns. Toro Yard Tunes was inspired by Toro’s latest song, “All-Wheel Drive.” The Pandora station (not available in the UK) includes music selected to make outdoor activities more fun, whether relaxing or mowing the grass say Toro. Pandora is not available in the UK, so what can be on the playlist?  “First Cut is the Deepest”. “I Walk the line”. “I fought the lawn, and lawn won” “I can hear the grass grow” but possibly not “Flymo to the moon”

KIDS PLAY:
Getting the kids to cut the lawn, has always been tough, An Australian scientist took inspiration from his son's solar powered go-kart to create a DIY riding mower with three lawnmowers. Jacob Strickling, star of the Make Science Fun channel posted a video showing how he was inspired to make his own riding lawn mower. He rigs three lawn mowers together behind the go-kart to create a do-it-yourself riding mower that his 7-year old son can operate.  (We ought to add the rider, don’t try this at home!)  WATCH VIDEO

So many quotes and ear-popping claims during the EU referendum. But I did like the off-the-cuff quote from that splendid Parliamentarian Dennis Skinner. Referring to immigration issues, he said “I worked with many overseas miners in the heyday of the UK coal industry, but I never felt they under-mined us!” Glad about that.