One of my favorite things about the internet is that you can always find someone to back your crazy ideas.
For instance I hate shoes and due to the miracles of the the internet I have now been connected to people who not only also hate traditional footwear but have kindly provided me with obnoxious facts to share with anyone who asks about why I hate shoes.
The internet is truly an amazing place.
With fall upon us I turn to the internet again on the issue of lawn maintenance, specifically raking leaves. It’s no secret that I hate mowing the lawn. But I also really, really hate raking leaves. I suspect this hatred stems from hours of child labor while we attempted to clear every leaf from my parents lawn that’s approximately 789 acres of grass covered in 9,450 trees. And probably you don’t know about this deep seated hatred of mine because while I’ve been compelled to mow the lawn over the years so that I don’t lose small children and chickens in it (though there was that dead cat once…) my leaf raking habits are even more lax.
My leaf raking goes like this…
I should rake the leaves… nah, too wet.
I should rake the leaves…. oops, I broke the rake.
I should rake the leaves… but it’s bad for the tendinitis in my shoulder.
I should rake the leaves… Oh look! Bird hunting season!
I should rake the leaves… but I haven’t mopped the floor in the last two years and I really better do that first.
I should rake the leaves… Whups! It snowed! Too late now!
But, I have good news fellow yard care haters, the butterflies and bees need those leaves!
And they need them whole, not shredded.
And they’d prefer them to stay in a nice carpet over garden and lawn well into the spring.
Basically this is the best news ever.
I love the internet.
Go ahead, read this article, from the Xerces Society and then instead of raking leaves you can join me in relaxing with a warm cup of tea and a good book (because who are we kidding, that floor isn’t getting mopped unless I’m avoiding raking leaves).
https://xerces.org/2017/10/06/leave-the-leaves/
Behind the Willows 
My life is now much much better. Thank you very much friend.
ECHO ECHO
Happy to help! 🙂
Reblogged this on anita dawes and jaye marie.
I have been hating the pile of leaves that are appearing with sickening regularity in my own yard. Don’t get me wrong, I love leaves, all those glorious colours. But we have been brought up to feel responsible for removing them. Now, thanks to you, I shall let the wind dictate what happens to them…
I love them on the trees, I love them falling in the breeze I love how they look carpeting the lawn. I just don’t love having to move them… and now I’m not. 🙂
Same here, and its such a relief!
I don’t like to rake either, but a good leaf blower makes a Hugh difference in the task. I consider it exercise. Have a good day and see you soon.
A leaf blower would be a game changer. As it is there are allll sorts of forms of exercise I acutally enjoy doing… 😉
But, sadly, the roof gutters must be cleaned. For those who must rake leaves, put them in the compost bins.
That is very true! And also why I have a husband! 🙂
I think my parents must have owned that house and yard before your parents, because it was the exact same size.
What were they all thinking?!? 😀
I recently read that too. Everything happens for a reason….we forget that the earth was taking care of herself without us….I mean who do we think we are seriously…LOL
Right!?!
I think I have sufficiently educated my landlady to the point where she can leave the leaves mulching on the gardens, but she does get a wee bit twitchy when they’re just laying on the grass. 🙂 … baby steps.
Baby steps is good. I have the luxury of not having any neighbors yards that butt up to mine. I’m sure it’d be a different story if my leaves were blowing into someone else’s yard!
[…] Leave the Leaves! – Behind the Willows […]