raking leaves

I was outside raking leaves today. The kids joined me for a little while and we raked up a big pile for them to jump into. They wandered off and I was still enjoying the raking, so I kept raking out into the street. There is a leaf service that comes by to get the leave and they turn them into mulch. This, I believe, they do to keep the leaves from building up in the sewers, it being the rainy season and all. I won't tell the whole story of my neighbors giving me a hard time about raking the leaves "late" because I am enjoying being in a good mood and if I go over it too many times in my mind, well, my good mood will go wherever their good mood went.

The way I see it, raking leaves can be a really enjoyable way to spend a little time outside, if you are in the mood- but isn't that the way with most things? People are in such a hurry to get things cleaned up that they never wait to get in a good mood about doing the things in the first place. And then they go around scowling and complaining about things like raking leaves, when let's be honest here, no one needs to rake another leaf, ever. The best part of the whole scene with my neighbor was that I said, "Well, maybe it will rain!" because really what she is worried about it my leaves going into her yard (such devisiveness makes it hard to enjoy neighborly love, or neighbors, really.) And she agreed! "Yes! Maybe it will rain and they will get all clumped down!" She was so excited by this thought that she walked off smiling. Do you think I will ever be able to get her excited about rain again? [huge grin].

OK, onto the photos.



raking and jumping



Samuel and Eva



done!



Small parts- mushrooms, what the squirrels are after, box elder bug's forest



where they came from; flowers still blooming even as leaves cover them