It’s been a weekend of leaves. They cascade snow like down from the trees in thick flurries.  I spend hours gathering them up, put them in huge green garden refuse bags and take them to the local rubbish dump, and then, the next day I start all over again. Nothing quite as futile as gathering up leaves, although it can be highly satisfying – minimal physical combined with an afternoon out in the fresh Autumn air. And leaves … well as opposed to planting, where you have to get don on your hands and knees, scrub around in the soil and then wait for six months to see the results of your labors – leaves are instant – you see the full  result of all your futile work immediately. Highly satisfying.

I suppose the gathering up of Autumn leaves is almost as futile as the building of sandcastles. You spend hours labouring away on the beach to build a many-towered fortress, then wait for the sea to roll in and destroy it. Leaves are the same. You sit back for  an hour or so, to enjoy your clean garden and then when your back is turned …

I’ve enjoyed my leafy weekend.