Our yard has three trees, a large magnolia, a very tall tulip poplar, and a sweet gum tree.  In the spring and summer, I love them.  They shade our yard and house and keep us cool.  In the fall, I’m not so fond of them.  In the fall, they drop a ton of leaves.

     I raked leaves today.  Raked, and raked and raked them.  I raked leaves until I thought my arms would fall off.  I raked up enough leaves to hide several bodies in the piles if I wanted to.  Each pile is waist high and at least twelve feet long.

     Ah, yes the piles of leaves.  If you have kids (I don’t), they are a magnet.  You would think I’d have it easy without kids around.  However, I have two dogs who think they are kids and—you guessed it, the leaf piles are magnets to them.

     Our city will pick up the leaves if they are out on the street.  I need to haul those two huge piles of leaves out there.  Well, I will move them if I can keep the dogs out of them.

     I raked leaves.  Patty flew out the door and leapt into the nearest pile with great glee.  I raked the leaves back into the pile.  Gavin decided that she looked as though she was having fun so he followed suit and barreled into the other pile of leaves.  I raked again.  They both dashed through the first pile of leaves.  I raked.  With every trip outside—they played and I raked.

     My work gloves didn’t prevent the blisters from appearing on my hands.  I’m pooped.  Tomorrow the pups will be going outside on leashes until I can move the leaves out of the yard.