It's an extremely personal preference,and people seem to be on the extremes. I know people who absolutely enjoy mowing the lawn, find it relaxing and zen.

For myself, every second I mow the lawn (shovel snow, etc) is a moment of my finite life forever lost :<

I suspect it _may_ be related to growing up in condos/apartments until a few years ago, and having my residence historically be a "low-maintenance base of operations" from which I do fun/interesting things; and not a "black hole of maintenance and cleanup where I spend all my time & money" that a house now seems to be :P