Neighborhoods in Autumn

Locals were in their yards dealing with the fallen leaves of deciduous trees. In that peculiar American way they worked autonomously. Each had their own way of handling a natural occurrence. One family makes an annual event of piling leaves high then zip lining into them. Others piled and burned them. Some ground them up with a mower and let them remain. One family bagged them. People like me ground and used leaves as garden mulch. It was a typical autumn afternoon as I went political canvassing in the area.

For the people on my door-knocking list the election was over. A few feigned indecision yet I doubt it. More than half had already voted. The electorate has picked sides and there were few questions for a random canvasser on a Sunday afternoon. The main thing I communicated was the polling place had moved this year from the public library to the Catholic Church. For the many who voted early, that may not matter. It was good to be out with people.

Last night was Halloween beggars night and I had about 30 children and parents. The weather was mild and I left the front door open for the two hours. I bought a bag of candy for treats from the wholesale club. More than half was left at the end of the night. I’m glad to see children and their parents doing something together in our neighborhood.

I picked more kale and chard in the garden. The color is now deep green after a few nights of frost. Under the weeds I saw a few chive plants. The plot with greens turned into a bit of a weedy mess this year yet there was an abundant harvest.

According to my device I spent 2 hours, 45 minutes chatting on the telephone. Nothing urgent. Just catching up with friends and family. Such phone use is unusual for me. While the weather was perfect, it was a punk day for working outdoors, so the phone calls filled the time. That’s where I am in life.

One of my political stops was a man I’ve known almost since we moved here. If door-knocking is supposed to be efficient, this stop wasn’t as we caught up on what is going on in the community. He lives alone because his spouse is now living at the care center. I didn’t want to rush things and the conversation took many turns. It was good to get caught up.

The plan is to work outside for a couple of hours, getting the yard and garden ready for winter. If snow fell today, I would be satisfied with where things are. We live in a climate, yet it is the people who make life worth living. I enjoy my slice of humanity these autumn days.