Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

Saturday morning:

Remember when dad would be raking the leaves and he would let you jump into the pile? I don’t. I don’t remember my dad ever raking leaves, but I do recall jumping into piles of leaves somewhere. Maybe it was up Powder House Park. We also used to fill Johnnies Foodmaster bags with acorns for the sole purpose of whipping them at each other. I still have a rake in the cellar that is at least 40 years old. I have it used it to rake the leaves out from in between the shrubs and plants in the spring, but rarely in the fall. It is kept mainly as a museum piece.

But today is the day that I might rake some leaves in my yard, and afterward I may trim the two trees out front. It is a duty I perform each spring and every Fall. I even borrowed the guy next door’s big extended-length trimmer (I have a shorter version), but it has been in my side hall for almost three weeks. Today may be the day. The day after the tree clipping leaves the old body pretty sore. It’s all that reaching and stretching to get the top leaves on the trees. But it is time, I fear. When the tree branches are cut, they will need to be picked up and stuffed into the waste barrels and yard bags. I hate that part even more. It’s all that bending.

The city will be picking up yard waste pretty regularly for the next several weeks so I have no excuses. Yes, I do – I hate raking leaves. Everywhere you look are “Complete Yard Care” companies blowing, raking and gathering leaves from peoples’ properties. It must be nice to be able to have someone do that work for you. I actually have a friend who has a thriving business which he started with just one lawn mower.

Here is my philosophy:

The word is “leave.” The Lord is trying to tell us something. “Leave” them there. Didn’t you ever hear of mulch? I have never, ever raked the leaves from my yard in the Fall. But miraculously, every spring, most have disintegrated and the rest I can rake easily, because they are shriveled, wet and rotted. Some would say, that raking leaves is a job for my two able-bodied sons! I say, getting them to take the dog out and put their dirty socks in the hamper are major accomplishments and I don’t want to push it.

I’m saving up the favors when it comes to those two. I may need them to actually carry, lift, push, roll or pull me in the future when I am shriveled, wet and rotted.

It is now 8:00 a.m. on Saturday morning. I am going to make some coffee and take out the dog (the boys won’t be up until at least 10:00 a.m.). Then I will attempt to straighten up this pigpen we live in. I will empty the dishwasher and the clothes dryer. I will get back to you later on either the success, or failure, of the tree trimming and perhaps a little raking. Remember, it’s Saturday and there is a lot of college football on!

Saturday night:

I spent three hours with the tree pruning thing and my muscles are aching (I know, wah wah!). I would jump into a nice hot Jacuzzi if the gaskets were not worn away. The last time I tried using it, it leaked through the floor and flooded the first-floor bathroom. The boys actually surprised the heck out of me by doing a great job of cleaning and straightening up the house. I jammed the cuttings into a barrel and two yard bags, but I did not do any raking.

My neighbors have been vigilant about raking over the last few weeks and the leaves just keep coming back. They are not finished falling yet – it is still fall, after all. I may drag the rake out when the trees are close to bare. I’ll clear the leaves off my sidewalk and stairs if it poses a walking hazard, but that’s it. Why break a decades-long tradition of not raking? If you can’t find your gloves, you will end up with a blister or two on your hands from the rake. All sensible signs point to leaving the leaves there.

There is, of course, the neatness factor to consider. The neighbors’ properties do look nicer after the leaves are picked up, but it is only November and the trees are still dropping their colorful gifts. At Powder House Park it is basically raining leaves. To me it’s crazy to rake until the leaves have stopped falling, not that I ‘m going to rake at all.

I never watched the game on Saturday, which is just as well, seeing as how Notre Dame lost. So as Frankie said in the 80’s: “Relax, don’t do it,” unless you want to. Come Spring they will miraculously be gone anyway. I’m not raking unless I get the uncontrollable urge to jump into a pile of leaves.