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TundraVole of Shadow
Oct. 24th, 2023 09:52 pmToday we had most amazing and unexpected weather: the high was 76!!! and even now, at 10 pm, it is 68 and feels positively balmy. We just took the trash cans out and dragged the leaf composting bags to the curb as well. Our front yard was covered in leaves, which we finally raked today. The Sparrowhawk worked with me for an hour and raked the leaves from the driveway side over toward the center in a very tidy line, leaving a stretch of green grass in his wake. Then he had to go inside and take a rest before playing the piano. I kept at it for another hour or so, and filled nine bags by the time I was finished. We'll have to do all this at least twice more before all the leaves are down. They come in stages. But well begun is half done, as they say--or maybe 33%?
Meanwhile the lawn crew that works for the Mr. Recluse next door showed up, with their gigantic riding mowers and their gas-powered leaf blowers and trimmers. What could have been a peaceful, meditative hour of joint work turned into something of an aggravation with roaring machines that made it impossible to hear each other speak and belched noxious smoke into our space. I don't blame Mr. R, because he has various issues that would make it hard to do his own yard work. But I do resent the intrusion of the noise and stench. All over the neighborhood, more distant machines will be grinding away throughout the fall season. Not what I had in mind. I wonder if the guys who run the machines ever wish they could just use a rake instead. Probably not. They have to industrialize and mechanize everything if they want to make money at this. At the expenditure of nothing more than a couple of person hours and a little elbow grease, we've cleaned up our yard to a semi-respectable degree. The leaves are already pattering down to cover the grass again.
I had a call from a friend who managed to do ALL the talking, an energy saving for me . . . she said, just a wee bit sarcastically . . . . Then we rewarded ourselves by drinking tea, reading and writing out in the back yard. This weather made me feel excited, like a dog that has to jump and wag its tail. The warm breeze, the sparkle of the low sun on the delicate golden leaves--it makes me feel, without any real reason, as if something good is about to happen. What's really going to happen is WINTER. But today was a sweet reprieve. It's supposed to be semi-warm for the next few days, but it will also probably rain. Another reason it was great to get some raking done today. I'm not sure what will happen tomorrow. Madame had those two teeth out today, even though she claimed she wasn't going to do it. So I'm not sure how she will feel about lunch. I guess I'll find out in the morning.
Meanwhile the lawn crew that works for the Mr. Recluse next door showed up, with their gigantic riding mowers and their gas-powered leaf blowers and trimmers. What could have been a peaceful, meditative hour of joint work turned into something of an aggravation with roaring machines that made it impossible to hear each other speak and belched noxious smoke into our space. I don't blame Mr. R, because he has various issues that would make it hard to do his own yard work. But I do resent the intrusion of the noise and stench. All over the neighborhood, more distant machines will be grinding away throughout the fall season. Not what I had in mind. I wonder if the guys who run the machines ever wish they could just use a rake instead. Probably not. They have to industrialize and mechanize everything if they want to make money at this. At the expenditure of nothing more than a couple of person hours and a little elbow grease, we've cleaned up our yard to a semi-respectable degree. The leaves are already pattering down to cover the grass again.
I had a call from a friend who managed to do ALL the talking, an energy saving for me . . . she said, just a wee bit sarcastically . . . . Then we rewarded ourselves by drinking tea, reading and writing out in the back yard. This weather made me feel excited, like a dog that has to jump and wag its tail. The warm breeze, the sparkle of the low sun on the delicate golden leaves--it makes me feel, without any real reason, as if something good is about to happen. What's really going to happen is WINTER. But today was a sweet reprieve. It's supposed to be semi-warm for the next few days, but it will also probably rain. Another reason it was great to get some raking done today. I'm not sure what will happen tomorrow. Madame had those two teeth out today, even though she claimed she wasn't going to do it. So I'm not sure how she will feel about lunch. I guess I'll find out in the morning.
