Saturday, October 30, 2004

More homeowner issues

What happens if you don't rake up the leaves? This was something that never really concerned me in the apartment. Today the procrastination was finally overcome and I got out and got going on the lawn. First off I have to appreciate the size of the lot I grew up on. Today only took me about 90 minutes to do 2/3 of the property. Back in HP, 90 minutes might have been long enough to do maybe 1/6, if that.

I got to talk to our talkative neighbor, Patricia. She had lots of good information for me: no, it's illegal to burn leaves in Forest Hills, yes, they pick up yard waste on 11/1, no, you don't need special bags for leaves but most people just blow their leaves across the ditch in the back anyway.

Tomorrow I may have to go buy a leaf blower.

I think the woman that lives on the other side was checking me out the whole time I was working. I wonder what that was about.

Anyway, 90 minutes later the front and the upper level of the back were clear. I wasn't able to do much with the driveway. Made me really wonder what we're going to do with snow, but that's an angst for another day. Today I need to determine if its worth it to clear the bottom level. This brings me back to the original question: What happens if you just leave the leaves? And if the answer is just that they're there in the spring - I'll take it. I wonder where this is in my homeowner manual.

I'm sure it will wait. Now we have to go get candy together.

3 comments:

Katy said...

When I was growing up and asked that same question in an attempt to avoid raking, my dad always said that the grass would rot and you would just have mud in the spring. I don't know if it was true, but it seems possible.

Peg said...

Couple thoughts:

1. Shop vacs make great leaf blowers. Get an outdoor extension cord instead. Much cheaper and no stinky gas.

2. Leaves make great compost.

3. I highly advise you to rake 'em up. Seriously. Come see the bare patches on our lawn where we had to do it in the spring and didn't clear them out in time (we moved in Feb and everything was snow-covered). You'll thank yourself come springtime.

4. A question: did you decorate the house for Halloween? You're good at posting photos... how bout some of the Halloween House? (Please.)

Peg said...

Couple thoughts:

1. Shop vacs make great leaf blowers. Get an outdoor extension cord instead. Much cheaper and no stinky gas.

2. Leaves make great compost.

3. I highly advise you to rake 'em up. Seriously. Come see the bare patches on our lawn where we had to do it in the spring and didn't clear them out in time (we moved in Feb and everything was snow-covered). You'll thank yourself come springtime.

4. A question: did you decorate the house for Halloween? You're good at posting photos... how bout some of the Halloween House? (Please.)