It was another balmy day here in Ontario. Work was good. We are all reaching a point of fatigue of always being the watch dogs, reminding and reminding to replace masks, stand apart, use hand sanitizer, don't touch... whether these are our own personal beliefs or not, it is required of us and we continue to do it day after day after day. It is tedious. However, my kids are great and they loved being outside at recess in this gorgeous weather. Some were in shorts!
This weekend, I researched a way to compost all these leaves and turn them into something useful. I bagged (with help from son who was home, and then daughter today after I got home from work) lots and lots of leaves in big black garbage bags, poked holes in the bottom for drainage and so worms could find their way in (hmmm, I think that might be a big of a stretch), stuck the garden hose in the bag and wet things down a bit, then tied up the top and set them someplace on the ground where I don't mind staring at them for twelve months or so. After that they become something called leaf mold and it's great for gardens. It's worth a shot and I filled about 15 big bags.
I sat out on the porch with my daughter and got caught up on things, then barbecued some turkey burgers. They were the best turkey burgers I've ever tried. I believe the company is called Hayters. They are not cheap, so maybe that's why they taste good - it was all meat, no circumspect chewy bits.
The light starts to fade severely by about 5:30 p.m. I was barbecuing after that and took this shot of the fading sunset and the silhouette of the trees.
That extremely bright light in the bottom right hand corner is a new sign that was installed at the edge of the park along the main road. It doesn't have much to advertise or inform people, as this is a tiny little village with not many businesses or activities, but holy crow, is it bright! It reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where the Kenny Rogers Roasters sign kept Kramer up all night.
I'm betting those bagged up leaves will, indeed, give you some rich goodness to spread in your gardening areas. And it will be a great return on all that raking work you did. How's the blister? Healing already, I hope.
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm curious to see how it all turns out (I have patience). Yes, the blister is coming along, but still needs a bandaid - I was cutting cardboard with scissors at the end of the day to make bases for the kids to build structures on and it was hitting it at just the wrong spot. Workman's Comp.? Ha ha.
DeleteGood job on resolving those piles of leaves. Worth looking at for a year.
ReplyDeleteThere are other things that have hung around the property for longer than that, so at least these will be useful. :)
DeleteHahahaha, there's a positively ungodly bright light from a Burger Priest sign in a nearby strip mall that is blinding at 2:00 a.m. Good thing my blinds are always closed.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't shine in our bedroom window, it hits our daughter's. I like my room to be dark, dark, dark! Sometimes even a full moon is annoying. Burger Priest??
DeleteI've left bags of leaves for weeks, being too lazy to get rid of them and they have turned into compost. Your bags with the holes will be perfect. Good luck with the worms
ReplyDeleteI'm trying bean burgers today with left over white beans from a soup.
How did the bean burgers turn out?
DeleteBeautiful photograph. Your garden will benefit from the leaf compost next year. It's the storing it for a year that always puts me off.
ReplyDeleteSince I made this comment I have been on a stepladder getting the leaves off the chicken roof (clear corrugated perspex) to make it lighter for them. The leaves were wet and slimy and already on their way to compost so I have bagged them and put them behind the shed, inspired by you.
DeleteGlad to be of inspiration ;)
DeleteLovely photo!
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for the idea about the leaves.
I never quite understand my husband blowing them around for hours!
Nobody really uses leaf blowers around here. I don't really understand the purpose either. Is it to blow them into piles rather than raking?
DeleteFrom other comments it seems the leaf compost idea should work well...worms, maybe not so much.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're getting some nice weather still. It's winter here and I think it is here to stay.
It was nice again today (Tuesday), but now this evening there is quite a wind blowing. Maybe bringing in a change of weather.
DeleteI think the leaf composting will work. Great idea. Hopefully it kills off the tree seeds? Some of my leaves get bagged while wet, and those 'flakes' of partially composted leaves are much easier to distribute, than the dry, crunchy ones.
ReplyDeleteThe seeds issue is real. Last fall I raked a ton of leaves on top of my vegetable garden, and with them a record amount of maple keys. I was pulling out little baby trees constantly this summer. But I still think it made the soil better, tilling the leaves in.
DeleteBeautiful photo, and lucky you with those leaves!
ReplyDeleteIt is too warm...this time last year there was snow in Scotland
I'm trying to think back to last year. I'm not sure if we had snow or not. Well, actually we have already had snow here, then this. Who knows, next week we might have snow again!
DeleteSo many things remind me of Seinfeld episodes! We just listened to Jerry's new book and it was pretty good. I have a dear friend who is a teacher and she tells me every day is a struggle due to this virus. I am praying for a vaccine to come on the market soon.
ReplyDeleteThere's a Seinfeld quote for almost everything. Hope your house hunting is going well!
DeleteYou sound really productive. I admire your teaching and being in the school every day which I know is a challenge these days. And well done with the composting. We must be on a similar longitude (?) because that's about our dark time too. I don't like it being dark evening.
ReplyDeleteYes, it gets so dark, so early. Why don't I remember it being like this last year?? I honestly feel like it's darker sooner than usual. (did that make sense?)
DeleteOh, that is a great idea with the leaves! I'll have to keep that in mind when we eventually plant some trees on our property.
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat idea for the leaves! I never heard of it. Well, at least with that new sign, it will never get quite dark. I love that the kids at school are enjoying this awesome weather at recess time. Enjoy your day, hugs, Edna B.
ReplyDeleteYou'll be delighted next year when you open the bags and find wonderful compost. (Hope the blisters are healing!)
ReplyDeleteOoh, that light! Perhaps you can shield yourself from it with a piece of well placed board?
I do love that photo. And what a great idea for making leaf mold.
ReplyDeleteI totally forgot about that Seinfeld episode; so very funny!!
ReplyDeleteLet us know how your leaf/bag/composting trial goes, it sounds interesting to me.
"Kenny......Kenny.......Kenny......." LOL...that's one of my favourite episodes, Newman is the best "It's the wood that makes it good"...BBQ? How neat! How many times can we say we as Canadians can sit out on the porch and barbecue in November (without shivering)!! :)
ReplyDeleteI like the photo of the fading sun. Glad you and your daughter were blessed with spending quality time together as you sat on the porch. Peace and joy.
ReplyDeleteI miss Ontario especially in late summer/autumn.
ReplyDelete