Why run with the crowd when you can run around in circles?

Friday, November 27, 2009

Leafing


Having spent so many years on the sea, what I wonder about may appear to have an obvious answer to you more experienced landlubbers.

Why do people rake up, bag up, and cart away all the leaves in their gardens? And why do they follow up that process by going to the store, buying bags of mulch, and spreading them all over the now leaf-free land?

I'm not talking about the leaves on the lawn. I do know that grass grows better when not buried alive. I'm talking about gardens, ornamental and otherwise. Granted, so much of my life has been lived on the sea that my education in these matters is lacking, but I have noticed, while hiking in the woods collecting deer ticks, that the earth in forests, which is naturally mulched by fallen leaves, is lush and rich. Is there a reason why letting fallen leaves lie on ‘civilized’ landscaping is not acceptable?

A few of my theories:

Raking leaves into a big pile helps feeds that strong desire to leap without actually dying.

Containing leaves in plastic bags satisfies a desperate attempt to feel in control of one’s destiny.

Messing with mother nature helps kill time in an unemployed existence

There was nothing to watch on TV at the moment

Needed a place to hide the bodies

Am I close on any of those guesses?