Monday, November 10, 2014

Something very very weird...

... this year.  I've just been browsing through my archives reviewing the past several Novembers.  In all of them, I was still working up leaves pretty near up to Thanksgiving (except LAST November when it started to snow - deeply! - on the 4th and later on too).

But here's the weird thing.  As of this afternoon - November 10th - I'm done with the leaves.  DONE!  Except for the sweet gum that is still holding on, I've mowed/bagged and mulched with all the leaves.  And you know what?

I DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH LEAVES TO DO THE JOB THIS YEAR!

I'd mentioned to my neighbor week-10 days ago that didn't he think that the leaves are dropping early this year? Then, over the next week-10 days, I watched him mow his lawn, just shredding the leaves in the process and they sort of melted into the grass.

Last couple years he had to blow them into several huge piles for the big leaf vacuums to take away.  Not this year.

Happened to me too.  This year I decided not to rake/drag/whack any leaves.  I just mowed/bagged them up.  I dumped them right onto the beds.  And I only did it maybe 3 times.  Really.  Only 3 times.

Today the lawns are clear.  All the leaves have been used.  But for the first time in the 12 years I've been here, there are bare spots!

I have no new beds to mulch this year.  No trees have been removed.  And remember, I'm no longer mulching that monster ring bed anymore.  I used to do that and it took a ton of leaves!  Since I wasn't mulching that bed anymore, last year I had to build a big  bin for the leftover leaves.  (I used those leaves for mulch well into summer this year.)  Now that bin is empty.  The old asparagus bin is only half filled. The zin bin in front of the compost is empty.  And there weren't enough leaves for the bird bath bed either.

WHERE ARE ALL THE LEAVES?   And why have they dropped so quickly this year?  It's just crazy.

Oh I do appreciate getting everything done weeks earlier this year than ever before.  But it's so bizarre.  I can't EVER remember a year that I wasn't trying like crazy to get the outside stuff done before Thanksgiving.  But now - here I am - looking at the calendar and wondering what the heck happened? Today, when the leaves ran out, I even cut down a lot of perennial debris that I usually do in Spring.  I hauled it to the yard waste depot.  I loaded up the firewood racks in the garage.  And then - nothing.  It was all done.

Tomorrow is going to be another mild day - 60s.  Dry.  AND I HAVE NOTHING TO DO OUTSIDE!

But it's only the 10th!!  Oh sure, the rest of the year is forecasted to be pretty nasty - bitter cold, wind, barely above freezing starting on Wednesday.  So don't get me wrong, I'm grateful I don't have to be out in it (unless the snowblower comes into play).  But this early cleanup, lack of leaves and feeling out of sync with the season is messing with my mind.  It's like I'm actually somehow MISSING 2 weeks of November.  And I want it back!

How about where you are?  Noticing anything different about your Autumn?  Little signs?  Big signs?

As if this wasn't weird enough - while I was finishing up the front lawn today, the lady across the road who only last Fall called me crazy and the worst neighbor in the 'hood, pulled out of her driveway, caught my eye, smiled - and waved. Whaaa?

There's definitely a disturbance in the Force.  :-/

9 comments:

  1. -- Beware the waving neighbor---They're up to SOMETHING--LOL!


    Up here, we had our first snow last year Nov 24. This year is was Oct 31. So we are running WAY ahead of schedule as well. But, I'm glad. I'm having so much fun hibernating. Just don't ask me my thoughts on that in March.

    Shame about the leaves, though. It does make the best mulch, especially the stuff that composts through the winter. Love spreading that on my beds after some good rains in the late spring. If I lived closer, I'd haul you some. For some odd reason, I had more than needed this year. I left plenty to blow away with the wind......

    Have a good week, Kris

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    1. Hi Sue. Glad you are enjoying your hibernation. Hope you don't get bored with it having started so early. *heh* I've been eye-ing the nabe's lawn. There's shredded leaves over there. Hmmmm.

      Looks like November will end for us tomorrow and December will start immediately. :-( Wah! I see all that blue radar heading your way today. Ick.

      I wish you did live closer. I'm sure we'd hang out a lot.... Enjoy your week too. :-D

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  2. That is very weird! We have all of our leaves and our neighbours blowing in here too so youre quite welcome to come and collect them lol!

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    1. I've spoken to several homeowners and they, too, have noted the early leaf fall, the persistent wind driving leaves hither and yon, and trepidation for the first (of several) polar vortexes about to arrive. Glad I'm done today - all tucked in. Wish I COULD visit Yorkshire, if nothing more than to collect leaves. ;-D

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  3. That is just more strangeness to add to this gardening year. My Sis and I have been discussing some of the others. She raised the largest onions ever and I did the opposite!

    Glad you are done and can enjoy that fireplace....and read or maybe write.

    We are definitely cold here.

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    1. Have you noticed that the last few years have ALL been weather-strange in one way or another? Now back-to-back bitter winters. Sheesh. I've already been updating the Plant Propagation & Household Adventure pages. Not about to just stop cold due to winter and veg out. LOL

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  4. Maybe those leaves of yours have been blown to who knows where and someone is scratching their heads and wondering why they have so many this year! LOL!
    We seemed to have a lot more leaves than usual and I noticed that there were a lot of large oak leaves in the yard....we have an old (estimated at over 200 yrs.) stand of oaks about a five minute walk away, but don't usually see many of their leaves here. Also have lots of the neighbour's sycamore leaves. Still have a few trees in the neighbourhood that haven't dropped their leaves, but I think I am done! Tired of raking! :) Whatever is left to do is left! :) oh, except I still have to bring in one of the birdbaths (made of glass so don't like to leave it outside in the winter.)
    Enjoy your time and do whatever you want....you have earned it.

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    1. Another thing that is very very weird is that your comment didn't show up until almost 8:00pm tonight! I love your first sentence. I've been thinking the same thing too. Poor guy. LOL I wish I HAD more oak leaves - they are the best, don't pack down on the beds, don't break down easily and last well into late spring. I wouldn't trust myself not to break a glass birdbath. More power to you. You take it easy too. Looks to be a looooong winter.

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  5. You have NOTHING to do outside? Good grief, get over here - there's enough to keep you busy for weeks.

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