Maybe it’s
just me, but I am looking forward to the packing up of the leaf blowers. They
hurt my ears. I prefer the quiet and solitude of nature. Summertime landscaping may
make the yards beautiful but can take its toll on the ears especially during
the fall leaf clean-up. Out come the lawnmowers, then the weed whackers, lawn edgers,
hedge trimmers, mulchers and last but not least, the leaf blowers to clean up
every leaf and particle of dust in sight. Technically speaking, they do NOT
pick up leaves and dust; they merely blow them about till they cross over to
the neighboring property. Occasionally you can notice a landscaper look about
to see if anyone sees him going too close to the property line of the neighbor,
as he moves about in stealth with the noisiest apparatus since a 747!
Each year I
laugh at the silliness of chasing every leaf on the ground while the wind
laughs right back with one more leaf falling….preferably from a neighbor’s
yard! There’s a delightful futility to watching people try to control Mother
Nature! I love to garden, even weed.
There’s a cycle of life to participate in. With a little TLC, water and effort
you are on top of things. But I don’t
obsess. Nature has its own agenda.
My
sister-in-law has a beautiful garden every year.
“What’s your
secret?” I asked
“There’s no
secret. It’s not magic. It’s not rocket science. It’s hard work. You must do it
every day. You just commit to doing it.” She said.
You should
see her garden! Each year a different color scheme! Sweeeeet!
“But the
blooms on the flowers!” I said.
“Oh, that…I
use twice the fertilizer!...and well water. Weed daily.” She said.
But, as the
fall comes, she cleans, she rakes and she plans and prepares for the next year.
In doing so there is no obsession with the leaves falling and where they will
land for there is still time to watch each petal drop with its glorious splendor
of color, one petal at a time, dotting the earth. As the colors fade they are absorbed back to
Mother Nature in their own way. As the winds blow, the leaves blowing from one yard
to another create another color harmony swirling overhead. Try and create THAT
with a leaf blower!
Now don’t
get me started about street sweepers!
Cathy
1 comment:
YES ... environmentalists say we must all learn to love leaves. My property is at the bottom of a wind tunnel, so eventually all my leaves blow uphill. I still do a little raking just to appease the neighbors. --Anned
Post a Comment