This beautiful morning, my husband and I have been taking advantage of a glorious sunny day and have been doing some yard work.
Leaf raking was on the agenda.
I am pretty much betting that the moment you read those words, you had a strong memory of autumn when you were a kid, didn’t you?
Does this look like work…
When you only have one deciduous tree in your entire yard, leaf raking isn’t much of a chore, so for me, it’s just fun. And for the short time it takes to do the job, I imagine me…about age 8…living in Colorado Springs where there were LOTS of autumn leaves to rake into piles….
That was Daddy’s job.
My job was to jump in them!
Again and again…
Of course, there were so many piles, that most of them got burned…right there in our yard. If you’re old enough, you remember back when it was still legal to do such a thing. And I absolutely know, that you remember the sight of smoke, curling up through those crinkly leaves and most of all, the smell! Autumn Heaven!!!
But in Tucson, things are different.
I’m sure, right now, up on the mountain, there is snow.
Down here in town,however it’s shirtsleeves weather…although that won’t last. It will get cold again sooner or later. But meanwhile, on this January day of autumn memories, I also have this in my yard….
And one more thing………..
Those little spears, thrusting their selves into the winter sunshine, are red gladiolus. I didn’t plant them here…someone long before I bought this house did…. and they don't come up and/or bloom every year. But when I see them looking like they're trying…I give them a little help by way of some extra water.
We’ll keep an eye on things and see if we get lucky this year.
One more memory just got jogged by that piece of driftwood. I brought that home from a river in Oregon. Just seeing it brings back that very special day and that very special place.
I am so very grateful for so many wonderful memories in my ‘memory basket.’
My wish, for you, is that you are busy filling your 'memory basket.'
2 comments:
Yet another fabulous piece of writing. Thanks for sharing this along with the lovely photos.
I also love the memories of the smell of leaves being burnt in the autumn and leaf piles...as well as raking those leaves into walls of houses which I have done through three generations now... me, my children and my grandchildren (at least some of them...perhaps in time they will all experience this though I suspect it will probably be seige castles or something war like with the little guys now.
My life has reached a point and location where raking leaves is a mixed blessing...enjoyed while I do it and a bit beyond what I can actually do.
The many large maples that circle the perimeter of my back yard create an abundance of leaves that come down late in the Fall. I manage to rake many of them but not all.
Perhaps my yard and gardens benefit from that inability...there is a bit of ground blanket for the winter...and in Sprint there is some mulch for the worms to live under...
Today I am filling my memory basket but filling it wearily...promised grandson a fresh made smoothie if he would only wait just a bit which he did...telling him I was getting up and doing it because I choose to be a woman of my word...I got up via the power of that choice and made him a delicious smoothie.
Banana so ripe the skin was black (like my dad always likes them...for me they need to be yellow and just getting their spots on them - ripe and sweet but not soft and yucky ... must admit thought this one was delicious in that smoothie...
frozen mixed berries added to blender next...and some milk and extra firm tofu and bit of ice...
these new blenders made for icy drinks are terrific for smoothies...
had to have a spoonful to be sure it was just right - oh my, it was.
grandson is now watching PBS shows he enjoys (I like it because they make school at home painless...he doesn't much like sitting down and "being taught" reading, but he loves the shows in the morning, they teach sounds, words, dinousaurs (one of his favorite topics) an so much more in fun ways...who said school had to be drudgery needn't hang out with us here...cause we find a whole lot of things we enjoy discovering and learning about here...
though I had many great times when I went to regular school through the years as well.
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