Rumpelstiltskin's Gold

There was a time when Fall brought on an non-understood depression within me. A sadness overcame me and I would be moody for a long while. I know now this is because when I was a child, we always (and I do mean always) moved around Fall.

This is what my entire yard looked like yesterday morning.

Now, I look at fall with a childish glee. Oh the pretty leaves! The maples are my favorite. Such deep reds, such brilliant yellows! I love it! Yesterday morning I looked out the window and much to my delight (though not so much to my neighbors - who cares- did we ask?) the entire yard was covered top/bottom, left/right with all these brilliant yellow leaves. It was gorgeous!

I just wanted to go running out in the yard kicking up the leaves and rolling around in them. Instead, we did the next best thing. I take great delight in burning leaves. The smell needs to be captured in a candle for me. I love to baste in it. I love to have that aroma in my pillows. The scent in my hair, on my jacket......gently rising off my skin, filling my nostrils when I breathe in the scent of my son held close. Yum!

The beginning of the pile - my little helper out there working.

Though greatly advised not to, I started a small fire and much to my fright the wind did just as I was warned.....it swept the brightly burning embers towards the huge piles nearby. Picture me rushing over with the rake trying to smash out the embers before they flamed, only to have their sisters flying past me to the still covered yard ahead of me.

It took a little work, but I decided the advice I had been given (by my second half no less) was keen and should be followed. I stamped it out and helped with piling more leaves. Oh now this was so neat! Here we girls divided into teams to see who could move the most leaves the fastest.

Keep in mind this daughter is already 5 inches taller than me.

I must admit, there was a plot to this. See I tired of their lack-a-dasical attitude and decided, for lack of a better word, to light a fire under their butts. This was so funny. We were piling leaves on the tarps and wading through waist-high piles to dump them before going out for more. This was so much fun and we had many giggles.

This picture does not give justice.

You'd get a running start, hit that humongous pile of leaves which would not just slow you down but stop you dead in your tracks, causing your partner to fall onto the colorful sleighful being hauled just in front. Face first.........plop! It was just like being a kid again!

Here is B-Bug standing in the middle.

I'm not exaggerating, our stash is enormous! It's more than waist high and can be called nothing short of a fort. You can run, jump and land unharmed in the stash, slowly watching the daylight being extinguished as you slowly sink into the crisping, crushing harvest. It's great!

Such an innocent smile for such a mischievous little boy.....

At one point, Bubby was flying through the air and then, in just a split second, gone! Like quick-sand. Here one sec and not a trace the next. Oh for a set of flashlights!

How time flies. I remember when this picture was taken......

This is a recent picture...how quickly they grow up....