You have been very busy ;) We won't have frost for at least 2 more weeks or even longer so no need to rush.

People in town have leaves raked to the street, some shredded, that's great - but then it rained for like two days so they are soggy heaps. I really don't like to bag wet leaves unless I have a good place to empty them out to dry and then bag up again. I used to have neighbor boys who would go around and gather leaves for me and bring them already bagged, they did this for a good number of years. One year the leaves were pretty damp. The next day while sitting in the sun, the bags began to smoke!

I am so jealous of your leaves. We only have pine trees at our current house. The one we lived at previously had lots of trees and our soil was like gold. Soil here is not good at all.

I used to want to be able to pile leaves in the streets for city pick up before I became a compost gardener. Now I shred and bag them to place on the garden or put them in the compost piles. I like to leave my bags of leaves open so they get wet and start decomposing. Haven't had any smoking bags. Though on the farm we had a spontaneous fire in the silage pile one year. Excitement, there for sure!

Am already bagging the locust leaves as they fall on the driveway and patio. Only a few of the maple leaves have dropped. I am often raking leaves just before Thanksgiving that blow into my yard from my neighbors huge maples.

While we still haven't had a frost I have most of the pots emptied and cleaned up. Still a few flowers on the mums and clematis plants and other perennials so am waiting to cut them back. Have cut back the phlox, monarda, peonies etc. that had powdery mildew from our very wet year.

Deck chairs and tables were put away so the deck could be washed and stained. Usually leave them out until the first snow. Love having a hot drink on the deck during these crisp cool evenings and enjoying the colorful sunsets.

I'm collecting seedheads to go in the winter pots next month.

Am waiting to see your yearly garden swag, schoolhouse.

I am sorry to hear of your loss and understand how distracted and busy one gets with grief and the family and estate requirements. Be gentle with yourself and only change out that wreath if you find comfort and pleasure doing so. Sometimes good enough is good enough. Perhaps you will feel ready to make a winter wreath later or an early spring one. Will be thinking of you as I put my fall/winter pot together.

Sorry to hear of the loss of your mother, schoolhouse. Take care of yourself as I know how difficult it is.

We are having an unusually warm fall here. They are forecasting 70 for Saturday! All this week it has been in the upper 60's and one day 72. DH had surgery yesterday on his right foot yesterday do has 8 weeks of no weight on that foot. Guess I will be doing the leaves by myself this year. And snow too until January. So I'm selfish ingredients hoping the warm weather continues!

It got down to 30 overnight last night. The Lantana in the mailbox cover planter finally succumbed after blooming their little heads off all through the dry hot summer and up until last night. A daisy-like flower in there plus a purple petunia are still standing up to the temps. Like Mary Lu we are expecting over 60 towards the end of next week. I'll probably cut back the perennial border then. Soil is really not ready to be mulched with the leaves yet.