I can give you 101 reasons why I shouldn’t go out. Probably more. Don’t test me. It is completely down to the time of year. In the summer, I’m in and out like a yo-yo. I’ll spend hours out in the garden or walking the dog. I lose time. Housework be blown. We can live outside.
In autumn, it’s a different story. I put it off. It’s easier to stay indoors. I’d have to put boots and a coat on. In any case, there are jobs to do inside. Including the dusting. Have you seen the dust?
Of course, once I don my coat and get outside, I’m fine. I can lose hours again and find plenty to do. I have a garden to put to bed for the winter, after all. No. I’m under no illusions. It is that initial step that gets me each and every time. I am fully aware of it.
So this week, I’ve challenged myself. One barrow load of fallen leaves a day. I can squeeze that in between the vacuuming and rearranging bath towels*. Of course, once I’m out there, one barrow leads to two, but that’s OK. We have beech trees and a fig tree which are providing the bulk of the leaves this week. Other trees to a lesser degree. I can easily fill a barrow.
I can sense the benefit straight away. I feel happier. The fresh air, the light and open space fill my soul with positivity within minutes. My head is filled with happy thoughts. The Pup is in his element too. See-sawing from helping one moment, to undoing my work the next, and back again. He is excellent at digging over areas for me, then undoes it all by getting carried away. He is just being him. Another one who loves to be outside.
Has my challenge worked? Yes. It’s benefitted the garden too. I’m on a mission to improve the soil in my raised salad beds. I usually put the fallen leaves in the compost or a leaf store. Contrary to what I’ve read, they always rot down quickly, so I’m cutting out the middle man and putting them straight on the beds this year with a pile of compost. Covered with cardboard to suppress the weeds. The worms should get busy between now and spring. My underground farmers. I’ll see if it works. I love that you never stop experimenting and learning in gardening.
If nothing else, it has got me out there.
Not relying on my challenge alone, I still have the Pup to take out. Neither of us are keen on trudging through the lanes in the rain, so we time it. Else we take his favourite squeezy toy out in the garden and he runs like the wind in big circles.
Monday night was Bonfire night. Like most of the country, we left the warmth of the house and stood outside to watch fireworks and write in the air with sparklers. Hand knitted mittens were dug out for the first time this season. They still fit.
Final “out” is blown out candles. We had a birthday this week. Red velvet birthday cake went down very nicely.
So that is my week. Joining in with Anne’s Word of the Week link up. My word is “Out”. How about you?
(* just to say, I have never been known to re-arrange bath towels. This is a step too far into organized territory than I’d like to venture.)
Raisie Bay – Word of the Week
Every day I look out at my garden and think “maybe tomorrow I’ll motivate myself to get out there” and then I always come up with a reason not to. Thank you for giving me the extra push to just do it. I need to remove some barriers and enjoy the outdoors more 🙂 #WotW
It is easier to stay in than go out! I don’t have much to do in my garden now except pull a few weeds. I have not succumbed to re organising the bath towels either I’m happy to say (yet..)
I hate being outside at this time of year. I am such a wimp when it comes to the cold.
It sounds like you have been busy with the leaves.
As one who doesn’t get out much I must say that sometimes when I do go out the first thing I do is take a deep breath of outside air and fill my lungs. I do have to make an effort sometimes, and then other times, like this week, I’m forced to go out a lot. Sadly, gardening is not for me, I can’t even walk over the grass. I really want my hubby to build some pretty high raised beds around the side of the house that I would be able to reach from my wheelchair. I’d love to plant and weed again.
I hope your daughter had a wonderful birthday, the cake looks amazing..yum!
Thanks for joining in with #Wotw xx
Yep so easy to stay in bit once your out you feel so much better getting fresh air. Happy birthday to your daugher X #wotw
I often find actually getting outside a challenge this time of year too although like you, once I’m outside I can lose time just being outdoors. Filling a barrow of leaves sounds like a good way to get outside. That birthday cake looks yummy, hope your daughter had a lovely day. #WotW
Ah hope the birthday was fab and I know what you mean about the leaves our neighbour has a small orchard and all the leaves blow into our garden there are thousands. Although I leave that to Chris but he never gets on top of it. And thank god for dogs at this time of year, it makes you go and enjoy the outdoors every day x
I agree with you that getting outside has it’s benefits even if sometimes we have to force ourselves to do it. #MMBC
I can SO relate to the wanting to stay indoors at this time of year! But like you, I always feel better for it if I do get outdoors. I’ll have to keep and eye on your blog for any fig tree tips or ideas – we have one that I’m getting fed up of as fruit is so little. This year it did fruit but way too late so ended up with tiny figs left on the tree without growing or ripening. Will be keen to see how your new way of sorting the garden out works – I think there is a real movement towards ‘no dig’ methods – and the ‘chop and drop’ method.
I’m leaving my beds uncleared for now to keep the soil structure intact and then just clear it next spring in time for new crops (probably totally the wrong thing to do but I’d rather that than have to dig up all the weeds that will otherwise take their place). I read “the garden awakening” recently and that helped me see my garden in a whole new light and even my approach to weeds! #wotw
When I lived up north, I always felt a “nesting” instintct starting in the fall as the temps dropped. Living in a semi-tropical climate, fall is translated into a little cooler temps with much less humidity. Fall and winter are the times of year I want to go places and see things. Summer is so hot and humid, I just stay inside. Kind of flipped around living here . #MMBC
Fresh air makes such a difference. I love the smell of the air in Autumn but its very tempting to stay inside when its cold and wet outside! #MMBC
So true.
Loved this Cheryl. I can so relate to wanting to cosy up indoors but wanting to get stuck in once you enter the garden! I have been working away in ours the past few weeks, trying to get everything winter ready.
You have one handsome pup there! He is gorgeous.
Thanks so much for sharing with #MMBC. Enjoy the rest of your week. x
You sound like you are ahead of me on the gardening side. I have so much I could be doing.