Down here in southern Indiana, the weather has been incredible:  incredibly dry, incredible blue skies, and an incredible shift from 70-degree weather to our first frost (Oct. 30) and incredibly our first freeze the very next day!

Our average first frost date is October 15, so we did enjoy two more lovely weeks before a cold front came through and dumped four inches of rain (at least according to our gauge).  This after no rain at all for several weeks.

Trees have been shedding their leaves, making the ground below look like a gold carpet.  When the sunlight shines through the foliage still clinging to branches, it creates a living, stained-glass masterpiece.

Now, Wonderful Husband has been struggling to grow grass in our sloping, somewhat eroded and too shady yard.  He had the “lawn” aerated, fertilized and re-seeded.  Of course, with millions of leaves deposited on his precious “grass”, he knew he had to keep the leaves cleared away.

Soooo, Wonderful Husband bought himself a new toy – a backpack leaf blower.  To be fair, the old handheld leaf blower finally gave out and the new backpack blower makes clearing leaves much easier and faster.  He’s out in the yard now, looking like he belongs in a Ghostbuster movie.

What have I done?  The answer is “not a heck of a lot”.  I’ll admit to being somewhat burnt out on gardening just now.  Besides, leaf litter in my gardens is perfectly alright with me, sheltering the plants, retaining moisture, improving the soil and providing habitat for insects, lizards, skinks and wood mice.

Besides, I know that early next spring, too early to plant almost anything, there will be a gorgeous, warm and sunny day and I will be compelled to get outside and that’s when I’ll clean up my garden beds.  And, of course, pay for it the next few days with sore muscles and an aching back.  I’ll be excited to be gardening again.  But for now, I feel like hibernating!

Stay Warm, Good Friends!