Over the weekend I raked leaves. I raked a little and then a bunch of kids showed up for a church service project and raked a lot.
I have a lot of leaves.
My 1/3 acre property has eight 40′ maple trees. They generate a lot of leaves.
We planted them when they were bare root twigs. They were three feet tall. My boys helped plant them. One 12 year old son asked,
Will we be able to climb these trees?
Well, your kids will be able to climb them.
I hate delayed gratification.
That same son, the first year went out with a fork and a sandwich baggie to “rake” the three or four leaves that fell off the tree. This year there were probably twenty bushels of leaves. We dumped them all on our garden. The soil here has a lot of clay. I’ll rototill the leaves into the soil and they will help it be better for plants next spring.
We’re going to get plenty of snow this year. Some might come this week. I have a very long sidewalk that borders my house on three sides. Plus I have a driveway that can park six cars. And 16 steps up to my front door. When it snows there is a lot to shovel.
Do you know what happens if you don’t shovel the snow off the driveway and sidewalks?
It turns to ice and sticks around for a long time. It makes it hard for people to walk and can be dangerous. So, we are pretty good about shoveling the snow right away.
But, not raking the leaves is much more serious than not shoveling the snow. Shoveling snow is ALMOST a choice.
Raking leaves is a necessity.
If I don’t shovel the snow the city might get after me. Or someone might slip. MAYBE.
If I don’t rake the leaves? My lawn will die.
Not MIGHT die. Not MAYBE die.
If I were to miss raking the leaves just one time, my entire lawn would be dead next Spring. I’ve spent years getting grass to grow on my property. I’ve invested thousands in a sprinkler system. I buy fertilizer. I aerate.
And if I got lazy one year, that work would be gone.
Snow? Snow will eventually melt. If I don’t shovel it, it’s an inconvenience.
But, leaves? They are serious.
Stay safe
Rodney M Bliss is an author, columnist and IT Consultant. His blog updates every weekday. He lives in Pleasant Grove, UT with his lovely wife, thirteen children and grandchildren. Order Miscellany III A Collection of Holiday Short Stories, an anthology including his latest short story, “You Can Call Me Dan” here
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