YESTERDAY I RAKED EVERY LAST LEAF IN MY YARD. I knew rain was coming, which means a gloppy mess of leaves that get so slick a person could fall down in them and muss his nice purple corduroys - which used to be gray until he tried to dye them black. (there is a lawsuit brewing against RIT at this writing) When I went outside this morning, I noticed that a large number of leaves were falling in a perfectly still atmosphere. The temperature was in the low twenties last night and I guess the frost had snapped their precarious hold on the limb. My neighbor and I were in some amazement at how quickly they were coming down around us without a puff of wind. I went to breakfast and when I came back an hour later my walnut tree was almost completely bare and a deep layer of yellow leaves covered my yard and sidewalk, which had been bare the day before. I have never before seen a tree lose all of its leaves in an hour unless there was a major wind storm. Even the squirrels seemed stunned. Many modern people are unfamiliar with the sacred ancient tool known as “the rake. They are much too busy for such tedium and enjoy instead, the obnoxious producer of dirt pollution known as the leaf blower. This machine allows normally civil people to blow dirt, leaves, garbage, outside of their property line, where they pretend it belongs. Please do not take offense if you are one of them. Brains develop differently for different people. Did I ever mention that I purchase used leaf blowers on Craigs List just to run over? Yes, so far I have driven over and crushed 3,467 of them. Obviously, I have yet to make a dent. I take no pride in this. I see myself as a sort of public servant getting rid of stuff that makes life worse. I shall now go outside and demonstrate for my leaf blowing neighbors how nifty the old fashioned rake is - like the lowly spoon, it nestles snugly in the glorious category of “mature technology” and is great fun to use it while whistling. ~ Michael Tomlinson Michael Tomlinson’s Very Tiny Thanksgiving Concert Setting a peaceful space for the Holiday Season Saturday, November 22, 6pm-sharp The Viking Room at the Swedish Club 1920 Dexter Avenue North, Seattle Tickets $35 Advance Only - includes handshake/hug/back slap (your choice) Available at michaeltomlinson Also: Being Present, Focused and Inspired in Writing and Speaking A Writer’s Workshop for Everyone, Saturday, December 6, 11am - 5pm In Seattle at the Swedish Cultural Center on Dexter Ave N (about one minute drive north of the Fremont Bridge) Tickets $100 at michaeltomlinson
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 19:47:32 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015