Spreading Mulch

It has been several weeks since I wrote about spreading mulch on our property along the road.  Now I have resumed that work again, extending it most of the way in just two days.  Today was the first day of fall and it felt like it - 42 degrees this morning and bright blue skies for three days in a row now - so it was a good day to work out of doors.  The gnats are nearly gone now with this cool, dry weather upon us; they torment me during the summer to such an extent that I sometimes have to resort to insect repellent and even safety goggles to prevent them from flying into my eyes.  I made one trip after another with the wheelbarrow up the road, that slow, incremental work that requires patience, like carrying and stacking firewood.

Those wooden stakes at the lower end are marking the places where we intend to plant more burning bushes.  Although these plants are technically an invasive species in this area, they have worked well to screen our property from the road; we can sit on our deck in the evening (which we do most evenings when it is not raining) and not be seen by passing cars.  This is the best time of year to plant burning bushes, and also hydrangea, which we are considering planting near our driveway.

It was a fitting way to recognize this first day of fall, poised midway between summer and winter.  It was hard work, but not so hard that I was drenched in sweat.  I am starting to put the yard to bed for the year, rolling up the hoses above and below the house (there is no garden to water anymore) and hanging them up.  Soon I will be cleaning out the garden beds and turning over the soil for the winter.  And then l will be raking leaves, and it may be cool enough by then to wear a flannel shirt and gloves. 

Reading back over my blog from time to time, I have noticed that I spend an inordinate amount of time writing about mulch and gardens and fog and rain.  But we spend a lot of time out of doors, especially as runners (the ostensible subject of this blog), and it is enjoyable to watch the seasons change.  This week for the first time since March I wore gloves, and a long-sleeved shirt, while running.  The sun is lower and lower in the sky, the sunrise later and later.  We notice these subtle changes day by day, and we celebrate them.  This part of the world is a beautiful place!  And as scripture tells us: