When I was a kid, lawn mowing was never my favorite activity. Pushing a loud, heavy, fume-spewing machine around the yard in the blazing sun could hardly be anyone's definition of a good time. My lack of mowing interest is, in fact, the reason that my husband and I bought a small flock of sheep 15 years ago. Our sheep loved mowing the lawn—they grazed with precision, attention to detail, and a taste for Kentucky bluegrass. But soon the flower borders beckoned, and their preference for hostas and apple trees became apparent. They were like ill-mannered guests at a buffet table, greedily munching, chomping, and stomping. Their unruly behavior made them instant exiles to the farmyard.

So we mowed. Our yard is formidable (three acres). And like most Americans with a large lot, we looked to the gas-powered mower for our yard-care needs. We treated ourselves to a self-propelled model. Mowing with this machine was like walking a big, eager dog (except that I never zigzagged my Lab across the lawn for hours on end. Nor did he ever shave a square swath through our privet hedge before I could let go, but that's another story). All in all, I've had a nice relationship with my self-propelled mower and it's served me well. It's endured for many summers and we still use it for trimming.

But when we bought our riding lawnmower, I experienced true love. Here was a sporty little vehicle you could ride around the yard and groom the grass. A riding lawn mower was a toy disguised as a tool. This fact became really obvious when my two teenage sons started fighting over who would get to mow the lawn. I momentarily considered buying a second riding mower just to see them both engaged in an outdoor activity.

I see their point. Riding the mower on a clear summer day is just plain fun. Mowers go fairly fast (most clip along at speeds up to 14 mph) and mow in a variety of widths—the wider the deck, the less time you need to spend mowing (decks range in size