Halloween is just a week away and now is the time to decorate our homes for fall, buy some candy for the kids in preparation for their visit on beggar’s night. It’s also time to clean up the fallen leaves, wash up the lawn mower, enjoy the last of the tomatoes from the garden, and to plant some new bulbs for spring.
There are advantages and disadvantages of owning a home which has large trees in the yard and also trees in the back. But at Halloween time, Mother Nature certainly adds to the Halloween decorations with all of the leaves from the trees and the visits from the birds and animals that live in the trees and nearby forest.
Soon all of the leaves will be off the trees. The leaves will be recycled and used by the animals to line their nests against the winter winds, or to decay into rich humus for plant food next year. For me it’s a sad time of the year as the sun goes to bed earlier and earlier each day. But Mother Nature uses this time of the year to let the trees rest, to rejuvenate the land, and to prepare for next year’s growing season.
Halloween time is a good time to show off all of the bounty of this summer’s growing season, bake a couple of pumpkin pies, cut some fall flowers for the dining room table, and to invite your friends in for a cup of hot coffee, or a nice glass of red wine. Our thanks to Jeff, Susan, Tyler, and Striker Brooks who live in Venetia PA for sharing their home with us this past weekend.