Out raking the leaves.
Half an acre lot sloping down into a ravine with a creek.
Maybe about 28 trees on it.
[Never doubt that trees beget leaves.]
Getting tired. Getting bored.
Mind starts to offer mantras.
“I think I can… I think I can…”
Childhood wisdom gleaned from reading.
“When in doubt, don’t.”
Adult wisdom imparted by yoga teacher.
“Yes we can.”
Political slogan, uplifting.
“Be careful.”
Mom, always.
Then the deciding factor.
While raking on the hillside, giving it my all, I slipped and fell on my backside.
Just. Like. That.
Nothing hurt. Not even my ego.
I’m a klutz* after all.
But suddenly the angels sang and I knew which mantra to follow.
DID I KEEP GOING INSPIRED TO OVERCOME or DID I MAKE A STRATEGIC RETREAT?
Discuss.
* Previously documented examples of my klutziness: 1) fell on face while carrying donation into Goodwill; 2) thrown off Segway while moving through cemetery; and 3) during house party dropped ottoman on toe breaking toenail.
You retreated to allow a few more days/weeks of windy weather to blow those leaves right off your property 🙂
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Deb, I like how you think! I’m sure that the next property over wouldn’t mind more leaves. They have a service that does their yard, so it’s already paid for.
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Perfect!
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Works for me. 😉
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Glad to hear only the ego was bruised. 🙂
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Dana, oh, you know, I’m not the most coordinated human being so what’s another plop onto the ground? I’m resilient in my own clumsy way.
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I get lots of leaves on the roof and in the gutters. Klutziness is not an option. 😀
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bobcabkings, we hire someone to go up on the roof to blow out the gutters. In fact, it was the fact that this guy had blown all the leaves into the bushes below that got me out there raking. I could never do the gutters and roof on my own. Be careful… as Mom would say.
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I think the key word was “strategic.” My feeling is that you made a call to a service to round up those leaves or grabbed a leaf blower OR hopped on a riding mower and mulched them into smithereens.
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nance, you’re close to what happened. I grabbed a leaf blower and did most of the rest of the backyard, leaving a few quadrants for Z-D to mow & mulch. Teamwork, you know?
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I believe you got up, brushed yourself off and continued raking. You’re a blogger. We don’t give up easy when our posts aren’t recognized for their genius and we don’t give up when the leaves are a little slippery
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Phil, made me laugh out loud on that one. Ain’t it the truth about blogging? And yes, after I had a good laugh at myself for not heeding the dangers of wet grass, I got up and continued on… with a soggy bottom.
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Good for you. Are you for hire? My leaves are still on my lawn
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Said with great kindness… not. my. problem. Happy raking!
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Strategic retreat…… to the garage to get the leaf blower. Proceeded to blow the leaves into the ravine with a creek to allow the leaves to biodegrade on their own time. 🙂
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Andrew, you nailed it. I’ve no doubt that those leaves will be most happy down by the creek, out of my sight, doing their leafy thing– whatever that might be.
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I see the cat’s already out of the bag regarding the mystery, but I know what I would do. If, while lying on my back, regaining my breath, I looked up and saw there were still leaves in the trees left to fall, I’d leave the rest for my husband to take care of with the mulching mower. If the majority of the leaves had fallen though I’d pull out our handy dandy leaf vac and pretend I am a ghostbuster (or better yet inform one of the boys that it was time they built some character). Either event, that rack will get sidelined for heavier artillery.
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Allie P, my approach to removing the leaves, post-plop, was all of the above. I brought in the heavy artillery. Although I didn’t have the opportunity to allow a child to build some character, I feel that I am a more character-ful woman for having gone through this potential setback.
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Time to find a willing neighbourhood teenager and watch the progress from your windows – while reading a book….
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camparigirl, good idea. Maybe next year. 🙂
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“Willing neighbourhood teenager?” – HAH!!
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Ok, it might be optimistic to believe that there is any kid in this neighborhood who wants to work… but it could happen.
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My leaves will stay where they fall or the wind blows them until spring, when they become mulch with the first mowing. I pick my battles.
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Carol, that’s how my mother handled leaves. She referred to them as free mulch and she was right. However I am married to Mr. Tidy Lawn, so out I go into the yard doing my best to help. And stay on my feet.
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My husband was Mr. Tidy Lawn too, so I took care of flower beds and the rest of it was his.
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Even if I don’t care about the leaves on the lawn, I’ll admit that the yard looks great after we get the leaves raked. But if we didn’t I’d be ok with that, too.
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I knew you would be resilient. You just went through a house remodel. One way or another those leaves had no chance.
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Janet, thank you for your support. You know me well. 😉 If the bathroom tile kerfuffle didn’t stop me from getting what I want, a slippery hillside doesn’t even have a chance of thwarting my plans. The leaves are gone.
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I think you kept at it.
Today, Sassy’s attitude adjustment will come in the form of a rake.
Completely Unrelated: If someone doesn’t rake the driveway soon, I may not be able to distinguish the driveway from the yard.
😉
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joey, you’re correct. I did so with the assistance of a leaf blower… and a husband who finished up the yard using the mower.
I hate it when the yard and driveway blend into one big mess of leaves [or snow]. Sassy will look right fine raking your driveway later today.
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Thank you for your support 🙂
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Always. Wonder how Sassy is going to enjoy her time with the rake!
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She’ll rake it and she’ll like it, because it’s much better than losing her gadgets or being grounded.
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Good thinking, Mom. It’s like you know how to do this parenting thing! 😉
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Haha, yeah, sometimes 🙂
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Savor those moments!
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Probably the only way raking leaves could be worse. I’m glad you weren’t bruised, beyond your image.
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Dan, thank you. I survived my potentially humiliating [but not for me] fall. Also, the leaves are moved to where I want them to be, so all is well here.
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ha ha had a good chuckle here AB. Your Mom had it most right – especially when I noted no 3 about dropping an ottoman on your toe and breaking toenail … that is not easy to do so if you’re going to have to do this, be careful … Glad that your ego wasn’t damaged. Keep intact and be careful. Sweeping is cool.
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Susan, I swear I heard my mother’s voice floating through my mind as I sat there, unharmed, on the ground. I have a long history of not moving smoothly through life, but this is the first time I’ve been taken down by a garden rake. Thanks for stopping by to comment.
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Well, I know what you did. Hope it was followed by a nice glass of something…for medicinal purposes only!
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Kate, yes, you guessed right. I had a beer later on to celebrate my victory over the forest primeval.
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Yay!
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Strategic retreat! Those leaves are part of nature, falling on to the ground. I don’t see any reason to rake.
(Also, raking is my least favorite yard chore of all. I even prefer shoveling, despite the cold.)
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Sarah, well, yes I did opt for a strategic retreat. But it was away from the rake and onto something more powerful– a leaf blower. I usually like raking, but not this time. It’s been a much too wet autumn here.
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I have retreated from raking entirely, in favor of hiring someone to do it for me. Some of the best money we spend every year, in my opinion.
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I’ll rake the leaves, but will gladly pay for someone to do the spring clean-up and spread the mulch. That’s what I have retreated from entirely.
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I’m glad you weren’t injured! At least this time you weren’t in a cemetery. 😄
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Carrie, always looking on the bright side, eh? I wasn’t hurt in the least, but I did change my leaf moving tactics because of it. I love our trees, but there is some work involved.
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So glad you can laugh at yourself😂 At least you didn’t tear any tendons or try to cut off a finger this time! Smart use of the leaf blower. And I bet the yard looks marvelous!
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Oh yea – the finger!! Who could forget that one? Well . . me.
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I’d forgotten about it, too. Long before I was blogging, but a memorable night. You’re much better with the sight of blood, now. *tee-hee* 🙄
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Beth, well, I’m sure if anyone saw me fall I looked like a cartoon character, so why not laugh?
I’d forgotten about that whole finger/ER/stitches thing. Still don’t trust OJ can lids completely. They’re devious.
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ow-ow-ow – I hope your dignity and your butt-bones are intact. As for the leaves, here’s a solution: (I hope the link works – if not, google “This Hour has 22 Minutes Rake it or Leave it.”)
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Maggie, the link worked and that is HILARIOUS. Thanks for sharing it– just my sense of humor. And yes, my backside is fine, no worse for the wear.
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Maybe you just need a playful Husky…http://youtu.be/7xEX-48RHCY
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vanbytheriver, that video is adorable. To have that much energy and have so much fun with the leaves. Thanks for linking to it.
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DON’T GO ROLLER SKATING! You’ll end up in a cast like me, methinks…. for goodness sake, be careful!
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Tara, I promise to never go roller skating. You are right to warn me about its dangers. YOU KNOW THESE THINGS. Thanks for your concern.
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I’m so glad your ego wasn’t bruised.
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Anne, I’m kind of round and bouncy– both in body and spirit! Difficult to bruise me.
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LOL! I love your bouncy spirit!
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Thanks, Anne. I do too! 🙂
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“When in doubt, don’t.”
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Betsy, it’s a good mantra that I should have thought of before I started raking on a wet hillside. Oh well…
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I have to say I do love the “when in doubt, don’t” mantra for so many things – especially yoga. Or raking on a wet hillside. Or walking on an icy path. Or stepping over the dog on the stairs. (Definitely don’t do that last one.) I’m a bit of a klutz, myself.
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Kate, the yoga mantra has kept me safe in many situations, many times in my life. This was not one of those situations– obviously As a fellow klutz, I’m sure you understand! 😉
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Oh…I’m a total klutz!! I trip over nothing, and my shin is permanently bruised from walking into open dishwasher. Its a joke by now….
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wakinguponthewrongsideof50, I do that dishwasher-shin-bash-thing, too. I don’t know how I can forget the door is open, but I do. I feel your pain…
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It’s crazy, because I do it while loading and unloading…..seriously!
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I do the same thing. Yet I don’t want to not use the dishwasher just because it “attacks” me. 😉
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Oh…..I love my dishwasher almost as much as I love the handheld shower massager
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Glad you didn’t hurt yourself . . . and that you were able to HUFF & PUFF & BLOW THOSE LEAVES AWAY!
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nancy, that’s EXACTLY what I did. I’m not overly fond of leaf blowers, but in this case I was willing to overlook that– and show the leaves who was boss.
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You might consider yourself klutzy, but I’m impressed that you can manage the leaf-blower. I can barely lift the damn thing … so raking and sweeping it is for me.
My OCD is a little challenged at this time of year seeing leaves all over the place. I want to ring some doorbells and beg them to clean up. Yesterday a lawn service did my next door neighbour’s yard, but left a mess on the road. I cringe every time I look outside. Even worse – some of that leaf debris is in front of my driveway. Grrrr.
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Joanne, I think that we have a small size leaf blower. It’s awkward, but I’m in no hurry with it so I can get the job done. Although I prefer to use a rake…
I hate that leaf debris mulchy mess stuff that clogs up the bottom of the driveway, too. It looks awful, stains the concrete, and gets slippery with frost on it. There is no win-win with it.
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It was the fates’ way of chiding us humans for trying to clean up nature’s mess. I’m sure there is some law of ecosystems that leaf raking violates…. some plant or animal species that suffers because of it. But enough of my unpopular views from the anti-raking faction….
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evilsquirrel13, my mother never had us rake the backyard of her property. We did the front yard, but she adhered to the idea that, like you said, it was better to leave nature alone when you can.
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Yeah to teamwork…and strategic thinking. I’m glad that I am not the only klutz around!
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Donna, yes, despite my mishap we got the leaves raked… or moved… to a far better place than our lawn. It’s always something, isn’t it?
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I’m thinking that any incident that doesn’t bruise any body parts but yields blog post material is worth it.
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Janis, exactly! I didn’t mean to slip, but once I did and managed to be the little Bean who could, it occurred to me that this would make a nice blog post.
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I always say one reason we moved to this house is that palm trees don’t shed (and the 2 oaks in the front yard hold their leaves all winter then when spring arrives the drop the old leaves in about 48 hours and it’s done…hopefully that’s the week the yard guys show up…
Hope you have thick gloves – I always got blisters when helping my dad rake on his backyard slope.
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philmouse, there’s something to be said for palm trees! We have an oak that sheds in the spring. Wise trees. Unlike these showy maples and birch trees that have leaves that go bold, then fold. So to speak…
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Ally, that was quite the clever ruse you pulled off there, and all just so you could get a closer look at that one sycamore leaf in a pile of Oak leaves. Anyone else would have thought you were just being clumsy. You sneaky devil you! ‘O)
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You’re on to me! Yes, all for the sake of a clever blog post I fell on my bottom… but really took the opportunity while on the ground to examine the leaves more closely. Because I love them so… 🙄
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There’s nothing like going to extremes when it comes to seeing leaves up close and personal. In this case, it was perfectly acceptable to fall down, Ally. 😀
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Yes, well– I do what I can, falling down for the good of all. 😉
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Strategic retreat? If you stumble and fall again, the next time you COULD get hurt. I would see it as a sign. 🙂
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Margaret, yes, I’ve reconsidered my can-do attitude about raking on the hillside. Next year I will leave more leaves on the ground and definitely use the leaf blower all the time. I can be taught. 🙂
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I want to believe you were inspired to overcome, but I have a feeling common sense won out. Glad you weren’t hurt!
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Kate, I was inspired to overcome by re-thinking how I was going to get those leaves off the grass and into the woods. Which is to say that I plugged in the leaf blower and went to work on them. No more rake, thank you very much.
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