Domestic Psychology

How to: play with leaves

// November 25th, 2011 // No Comments » // fall, flickr

yardwork

// November 28th, 2009 // No Comments » // Doug, fall, preschoolers

Doug spent yesterday and today blowing leaves. He blew leaves off the roof. He blew leaves off the driveway. He blew leaves from the front yard. He blew leaves from the back yard. He took the thick blanket of leaves that covered every inch of our house and yard and blew the leaves into giant piles. He occasionally tapped on the window and gestured for me to look at his work. I smiled and gave him a thumbs up every time. As he turned and walked off to work on a new area of the yard, Evan trailed a few feet behind him. Evan’s arms were filled with leaves that he was collecting from the giant piles and sprinkling everywhere that was lacking in leaves. Doug blew the leaves off and Evan tossed them back in the place where they belonged. When darkness forced them both indoors, Doug flopped on the couch and Evan flopped on the floor. Satisfied. And oblivious.

falling leaves

// November 11th, 2009 // 3 Comments » // fall

We live in a heavily wooded cove which becomes a leaf-glitter snow globe every fall. The young family next door rake their leaves daily. No matter what the weather, they calmly rake their yard and part of the yard of the senior cove residents. A lawn care crew appears once a week to spend several hours with leaf blowers on the yards of the senior couple and the two extremely busy healthcare workers. The neighbors peaceful leaf battle will continue until the trees are completely bare.

Then, there is our house. We have leaves a plenty for jumping in, rolling in and throwing. Whenever the leaves are dry, the children roam the cove with their little red wagon, filling it with leaves again and again. They take the wagons full of multi-colored leaves and dump them in our yard. They fill their arms with leaves and carry pile after pile to our driveway. While everyone else clears their lawn and driveways, we create slippery piles of bug homes. Need a leaf collection? Look in our yard. Garden lacking worms? Look on our driveway. Trying to film a video of someone doing a pratfall? Bring them over here. Leaves are trash for everyone else, but for my children, they are treasure.