I guess I’m glad it snowed a little; covered up the reality of a yard buried in leaves..most of them imported from up or down the street depending on which way the hurricane force winds have been blowing. We’re usually the last ones in the neighborhood to get ours picked up because, like a nervous bride on her wedding night, the giant maple in the back yard refuses to strip down to bare branches until mid-November.
If I was that maple, I couldn’t wait to shed this season’s batch; the leaves are all plastered with that black tar-like substance again this year.
I can’t remember what causes that..hold on..Google check:
Okay, Wikipedia says, basically..don’t sweat it. It’s a fungus problem that’s not uncommon and mostly cosmetic. Best solution; make sure all the leaves are hauled off in the autumn so the fungal spores don’t get a chance to spread and infect next years batch. Yeah, that’s fine except they’re not goin’ anywhere if they’re buried in snow. The way our yard looked this past summer, it just might benefit from a blanket of dead foliage..tar stained or not..over the long winter.
On the other hand, Linda’s pot full of geraniums on the front deck have never looked better..even with a touch of white.
Speaking of winter, Linda and I have decided to stay put this year..no piling into Big Red (That’s our old Lincoln for any newbie’s out there) at the end of December hoping he’ll safely get us through another journey down to the Arizona desert and back to escape the month of January. Since we didn’t win the lottery, we decided the money would be better spent replacing our shelled-out roof next spring.
Let’s see, what else? Oh, yeah..the election. Well, it doesn’t matter who you want for President because South Dakota, according to all the experts and our idiotic Electoral College system, say we’ve already gone for Romney. In fact, there are only a handful of states, like Ohio and Florida, that will end up deciding the whole thing. Where your vote DOES matter, of course, is in all the state races and ballot issues. As usual, Linda and I will talk about all of it on election eve then go to the polls with our ballots all filled out.
I do love the process, though. It is never lost on me, nor should it be on any American, what a privilege, an honor really, to have this freedom of choice. It’s easy to get lost in the shouting and accusations that too often accompany campaigns for political office. Out of frustration we’re likely to just decide there’s not a one of them worth the powder to blow ‘em all to smithereens. I don’t think that’s true. I believe most of those who run for office really do believe they can make a difference and should be admired for at least being willing to try. It’s just hard sometimes to be heard above the din of a congress or state legislature filled with folks all trying their darndest to get attention too.
Oh, well, I hope you’ll study up on the candidates and issues then go to the polls, say a little prayer and give it your best shot. Remember, every vote counts. Oops, except for President if you’re from South Dakota..
Now, there’s an issue I wish some of our elected officials would take on; switching presidential elections to be decided by the popular vote. At least there would be the satisfaction in knowing that one of the millions of numbers on the great big tote board represented me.
Ah, darn it. The snow appears to be melting. So much for leaving the leaves to rot till spring. Now, where did I leave the number of that guy who does lawns?
