The Best of Fall

Can you see Nick? Try the left side, that black speck just below the trees, among the leaves.

Nick the Dog loves his leaves. He loves playing in leaves, dropping his toy in a pile and then digging and digging like he doesn't know exactly where he dropped the damn thing. This, in Nick's world, is premium entertainment. (Clearly, we find it pretty entertaining as well, but we be dog people.)

And the only thing better than digging in piles of leaves is nesting in them. While we're slaving away in the yard, planting plants and painting new window trim and such, Nick digs himself a bunker in one of our massive piles of leaves and nestles in for a light nap.

A better angle of Nick, and a mighty big pile of leaves.

I spent all summer thinking I'd move this burning bush, but of course now I'm loving it.

This is a Spring's Promise camellia. Kinda lovely, huh?
And in the upper right corner you can almost see my Seiryu Japanese maple that's now a lovely red.

Needless to say, we have a whole lotta leaves just about now. Because it's fall, or at least it was yesterday, when it was a glorious 70 degrees and awash in sunshine. I was in shorts and a tank top all day.

Today? Wool cap. Gloves. Thermal boots. And layers. Multiple layers. But did that stop me from playing outside most of the day? Hell no. Just don't ask me about the forecast for nothing but more days of layers and boots for the coming week.

One firewood stack gone, 10 to go.  Our little wood stove is in for a workout over the next week or so.

Rockin' to the Dead Leaves

Rocking out. (And yes, I'm quite the fashionista these days.)

In the words of a good friend:  Don’t Judge.

Today I spent four hours using the worst (and best) invention for the average homeowner: The Gas-Powered Leaf Blower. I fully acknowledge that the gawd-awful droning sound of that gawd-awful (and God-sent) machine is pure torture to anyone out enjoying the woods, nature and all that green stuff like clean air and peace and quiet.

But when a forest’s worth of leaves are blanketing your homestead …

And snakes love them leaves …

And there are no neighbors around for at least a mile…

Catherine Preus, aka African Catherine, please forgive me.

I drowned out the noise by wearing our circa 1980s big fat radio headphones/ear protection. And because NPR wasn’t coming in very clearly, I tuned in to a 1980s flashback “rock” radio station at the top of the dial.  Sweet REO Speedwagon! And Kansas. And Doobie Brothers.

OMG, who knew leaf “raking” could be so much fun? And who knew I still knew that many words to “Carry On.” (“Carry on my wayward son, Don’t you cry now more…” Buh buh buh buh buh BUH BUH BUH BUH!)

I’m not proud, but damn did I have a good time. I danced all day. And that blower tube makes a really good air guitar.

I know, not the Nan you are used to. I'm full of surprises. And sometimes, it feels so good to be bad.