I'm waiting and watching, come here almost every day to see any update. Won't be long and it will also be pumpkin scrounging time.

I was gifted an old riding mower with bagger by my neighbor. This year will be a little easier to pick up leaves for the compost pile without weeks of raking. I did run out of leaves from last year so will have to gather more this year.

Thx klem1 for getting something started.

Well Jerry I just hope I don't regret "getting something started". There's an old saying "let sleeping queens lie" that I can't seem to get through my head. I thought about the old @ trick to get things rolling but I'm in no rush to be humiliated and embarrassed. Do you think she found a new passion? Many of my neighbors started playing Pickleball every spare minute they have.

Let's post @annpat to see if that alerts that we miss her. Meanwhile I'd like to report my pumpkin gathering was disappointing. What's got in to people not carving pumpkins with kids? There's a trend of plastic,,,,,,,yes, artificial pumpkins with a light inside. I will eternally savor the afternoon 27 years ago when my wife and I delivered a pumpkin to our son's house for our 5 year old granddaughter and him to carve. We were near retiring for the night when he called to ask "how do you get all this mess cleaned from inside"? He's helped carve many since and had a ball helping his grandbabies last week.

I see a few in Fall decorations so maybe I can snag a few after Thanksgiving. Our landfill forbids removing anything while bureaucrats want us to recycle as many things as possible to protect our environment.

Yeah, pumpkins are rare here this year too. I usually chop up some for the deer and rest go in the compost pile, deer first so this year not much for the compost. On a brighter note, it looks like I will have more and an abundance of leaves this year.

annpat...missing your input here!

annpat - All I can say is 'give em hell', composting, klem1 and myself when needed. :)

Good to hear from ya!

I was here. You and klem weren't. I was worried sick. Then Houzz decided they wanted a password from me, which took me a while to come up with. I was afraid I'd get some big haul and not be able to brag about it.

OMG! The queen is safe. I feared we might have lost her. What if the poor thing was busy deep inside a mountain of bags looking for the best when a giant machine grabbed the pile and dropped it into a shredder? What if Summer residents bagged her up and took her back to their Winter home? And what about "that third mound" we never finished investigating?

I think I'll take a dime bag and go full bore 8 track with Momma Cass in celebration.

Click on Momma Cass if y'all would like to join me.

You underestimate me, klem; I know my way around a leaf pile.

Wouldn't that be cruel, though? Like the unkind rumors that Mama Cass died eating a sandwich. I can see the obituary: annpat (the Compost Queen) died doing what she loved. Composting.

Literally. Her remains were recently found in a bag of chipped leaves with a pumpkin and some grass clippings---a fitting tribute, if heavy on the greens.

Yes I do believe you know your way around but when I see a pile leaves the need for a nap is overwhelming.

Is there a way to stop to go for horsemanure if you know it is there and awaiting you every week?

Yes! You're going to need a truck and a fork and some nerve. Drive up to the house in your new truck, but leave the fork in the truckbed, because you don't want to look presumptuous. You might as well be honest (always the best policy), "I'm a gardener and..." At that point, they'll probably say, "Yes, yes. Help yourself." If not, you'll have to finish the sentence, "I wondered if you use that gorgeous pile or if it's for sale." If they say, "Yes, it's for sale", turn on your heel and go back to your truck! It should be free. Wait a few weeks, maybe get a different truck, then go back. "Is that pile something you need assistance removing." They should say yes.

It is free. i just want to know is there a point when you could say to yourself: " Stop for awhile, it's enough!"

Oh! I see.

No.

Dum dedum dum