The Autumn Leaves Drift by my Window

And, I raked them into piles, and so far have filled seven bags of recycled paper with them.   I'm not finished, either.  My small  backyard has turned gold with fallen ginko leaves, and pine needles have interwoven themselves till they look like mats.  As I was scooping up piles with my rake, I  saved a moth, bleached gold the color of the leaf he was resting on. You really start to look at the leaves and notic the striations of color in the piles, brown spotted with red and gold, Oak leaves the size of a dinner plate, wide, yellow hosta leaves, our pumpkin vine, dried and sparse, but tough as twine.  The occasional  bright red of a Japanese maple leaf shown like a ruby.


The day got colder, and the wind more chilling, as I filled the leaf bags.  Yet, the pile was so dense, hardly a leaf blew away.  Better gardners than I can enlightenme on this next point, but why do we have this obsession for raking.  I've heard its for the grass and plants lying underneath, but there is grass and there are plants in the forest.  No one rakes there, or under trees in other wild areas. When I rake the backyard leave to the end of my yard, just before they can tumble into the ravine, they cover bee balm, and daffodils, and other flowers, but the flowers always break through in the spring.


Is it aesthetics?  I love the carpets of leaves lying on the ground in different colors. I suppose they could clog gutters, but I have leaf covers, and have learned that I can reach them with my rake if I stand on tiptoe, thus avoiding dangerous and dizzyng climbs on ladders.


These are questions to ponder.


On other fronts, my state has finally passed legislation in favor of crime vicitms.  As a victim of several crimes, including a viscious stalking over the last 14 years, I say it is high time.  I was treated like a criminal by the very courthouse where I often worked, and where I knew more people than I knew in my school. The so-called victim's right advocate told me she couldn't help me; she said she worked for the states attorney, and she would put her job in jeopardy by advocating for a victim, her lofty job  title notwithstanding.  The only real help or concern I got was from our local congressional representative.  He emailed me a personal note after I'd written him for help.  He said he couldn't help me, but he could commiserate; he had had a very visible stalker for years. My colleagues in the law treated me like a piece of dirt, adn I never, ever had justice.  Those of us who are legal professionals in this jurisdiction are fond of saying, "everything is legal!"  Perhaps, now, that will change.


The holidays are coming; I hope to have more ideas and recipes to share, and ideas for crafts.


Think recycle and repurpose, and check out my friends Deb Ritter on Uneek Doll Designs, Etsy, and Teri Long of Long Gone Dolls, Etsy, who make dolls form clothespins and who repurpose unwanted dolls into works of art.


Small kindness done during the holidays are often more appreciated than expensive gifts.  Charities donated in someone's name, like those sponsored by the Heiffer Catalog, are also thoughtful ways to express the season.


For small familes at Thanksgiving, remember it is the fellowship that matters, not the food or suffering over the stove.  It is not very "martha" of me, and she is one of my idols,  but I say, there is nothing wrong with catering Thanksgiving, or going out. Many grocry stores can prepare Turkey dinner with all the trimmings for under $70.  Chicken roasts as well as turkey for small families, and all the trimmings and side dishes work just as well with it.   This year, I plan on buying desserts and side dishes; with my job and my writing, and everything else, I am exhausted.  I can't cook or bake as I used to.  When winter settles in, and things calm down, I'll bake then, and share my new recipes.


So, I'm back.  Read me on The Antique Doll Collector Magazine Blog, and also at About.com Doll Collecting, and also on my other blogs, which I will never forsake :).