I wouldn't go that far, however I had a dream where you held a high position. As we mortals filed into nature's garden you were the only one sporting wings and standing along side Mother Nature pointing to those who should speed eternity reflecting on their worthless time on earth and which are worthy of something more rewarding. Olddirt and beesneeds joined a group charged with bringing souls to the garden for recycling. As our eyes met you paused and appeared indecisive,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, That's when I woke in a sweat.

No, I wasn't indecisive. I distinctly said, "Spare that slacker."

Thank goodness,I'll do my best not to taint dedicated members of our group. Now I will say you are my hero. Oh,and I apologize for referring to you as "The Bag Lady". Come next Spring will you be sha,,,,,,,,never mind. );

You're definitely mine, annpat. You do composting and kayaking. And you do sarcasm like a Brit. (That remark isn't sarcastic btw). (Nor is that one).

But was the last comment sarcastic, floral?

Klem, that last sentence? Were you seriously going to ask that? The answer is a hard no. Not even if you were family!

I was going to title this thread with 'Show me what you got!' but that seemed really cruel with this sad group of n'er do wells. (Not you ol'dirt. You're the only one I have any respect for.)

Can only do a "like" on all this, should be a LOVE.

annpat - I think i did once refer to you as my hero, like floral_uk said, composting and kayaking. Getting real difficult to get in and out of the kayak these days so i've resorted to more hiking.

klem1 - I can magine her having wings, like a drone spotting any and all compostables. If that group has a forum, I will join it. The vermin souls are now sustaining the fox and owls.

Kayaking in Maine:

That kayaking looks fabulous! When the ice starts to form here, I'm breaking out the shanty and ice fishing gear (lots of compost material).

That's a cove around the corner where birds breed---relatively shalllow. Using my boat as a ice breaker was more fun than wise, That was probably 25 years ago.

I've been known to ice fish.

I'm really excited about tomorrow because the weather is supposed to be mild, and I hope to photograph all the bags in my driveway for all y'all's <--klemspeak---inspiration---followed by photos of the instant piles I'll build from the near mountain of paper leaf bags' varying contents. Of course I'll take pictures of '23's compost turned '24's mulch. I'm a little ashamed today because I missed the first day the dump is open after Pumpkin Day, opting to go to the beach instead..

It (the dump being open to the public) won't be available again for another week. I feel like it's another capitulation to aging. However, I did get several post-halloween pumpkins on Sat., which I piled by the road hoping that neighbors might wonder if I'd like theirs, too.

I don't know how else to get pictures of my annual haul out there to set an example if I don't get creative with my titles. Of course I don't expect people to think of me as a more dedicated composter than they---heroic---but you'd cruise right by if I'd titled this: Why don't you get up off the couch? And it doesn't seem polite to just post pictures of the future compost--->mulch piles I gather---apropos of nothing---in the middle of someone else's thread....

As Klem slowly waves a white flag,,,,,,,, I'm out of my league. One of the most memorable events in my life was watching Nova Scota Tolling Retrievers work. Never did I think a similar strategy could work for gathering compost. If I were to muster energy to collect a few pumpkins then place them on the curb, sure as shooting they would find their way to some other slacker's bin.

Ice fishing, Ann? Were you fishing for skate?

tj

Ha!

I admit it. I wasn't ice fishing in that picture. I smelled a fish fry taking place and tried to get an invite. It would have been landlocked Salmon or Togue.

I'm not done. I was sidelined and I'm really upset about it. I came here tonight knowing that I'd find you all clammoring for more photos of the annual gathering of the compost. All week, sick in bed with CoViD, I felt terrible thinking about how impatient you must be becoming.

MY WORST YEAR EVER!!! 14 pumpkins! And Halloween is almost over!! Actually, there's still a lot of pumpkins holding up on porches., so the pumpkins may still make it to the dump.

If I ever slow down on the compost gathering, I'd probably end up not gardening much. I don;'t really know how to garden without a thick, wormy mulch.

I got two gorgeous straw bales and a bag of this stuff. Tackifier.

You are MY hero annpat! No snarky humor this time, no sarcasm, just genuine and real admiration!

<3

Dee

Sorry to hear you had COVID but happy you are OK now. I did score a few pumpkins, a local nursery/retailer had all their left over pumpkins and smaller mums for free and straw bales $1.00. Been fishing a couple times so lots of guts and scrap. No critters yet but I'm sure there will be some soon. Leaves are down this year as I mow/mulched most of the yard, guess I'll prowl the roadside.

I'm not okay now! I don't think I'll ever be okay again! I had to drag myself to the leaf dump and I only got one haul!!!

My heart wasn't in it and I did something I never do. I took the bags at face value. If they looked like a bag of leaves, I took them. Usually I dump the bags out, inspect the contents and repack them. Yesterday, near delirious with fever, I just tossed bags on the truck---mostly maple leaves---not even chipped, for pete's sake---that's how sick I am!! Totally boring stuff, except for a bunch of pumpkins and a little Hubbard.. No apples, no pears, no pine needles. I had room for one more bag in the bed when a truck hauling a trailer showed up. The trailer was pouring steam, and I knew it was pure gold. I was cool while he unloaded, but when he left, I took my last bag over and filled it with the hot grass and chipped leaves.I tossed the bag in the truck and then I stood and looked at my sad, homogenous load for a long moment, but I could not get myself to unload it and reload it with good stuff.

I meant to get a picture of the sky-high mountain of leaf bags, so it would inspire all you lazybones to find out where your local leaf dump is, but I was too weak to push the shutter.

annpat - That damn chinese crud can hang on for quite sometime and after effects can be varied and troublesome. On that note you are forgiven for your lackluster ways. Hope you feel better soon and don't have any troublesome after efect.

Lots of garden cut backs and more fish scraps for me. Wet and getting cold here so I haven't been very active out there.

Good. I was afraid people would get ahead of me! I get very jealous when I hear you talk about your fish scraps. I used to go to a fish market and ask for scraps, but I'm less inclined to make a fool of myself nowadays. I saw a bunch of hay bales at a grocery store once after Thanksgiving and I asked the manager if they wanted me to clean up their holiday display. Yes, they did! I got about 8 bales of hay and tons of pumpkins. I'm a bit of a slacker now---not like the people here---but it's bad.

If you live in Roanoke, VA., you could drive around today and get bagged leaves left on the curb.

I've got a couple spots near Grand Rapids, MI., I'll try to hit on my Sunday cruise.

If you take a trip to Norton Shores, you could visit their leaf dump, too.

yawn

https://sl.bing.net/iV8IM5kSifk

Yes! Like that! I don't know what I can do to liven things up here. I've tried everything!

I almost procured a nice batch of leaves yesterday. I was returning home with a bag of snacks when I spotted a little ol lady dragging and adding bags of leaves to a pile on the street. As I slowed and approached I noticed a lite mist on my windshield so I pulled alongside and rolled the window down. I said "excuse me,if you have rope to secure them would you mind loading those leaves in my truck"? I'm pretty sure she was able to hear but the darling little thing was totally mute. Despite much effort the poor dear was unable to speak,only a low squeaking sound. I know she was making a great effort because her sweet smile turned to grimace, her face flushed and I could see her throat quivering. As I pulled away she threw her walker in the street and screamed.

Dagnapit, I would love to had those leaves.

Oh well, I probably wouldn't have time to put them in my bin if I had them.

Klem, how chivalric of you.---offering to let her load your truck up like that! I, myself, have leaf and grass clipping bags all over my driveway because I got too lazy to deal with them. And I could have gone to the leaf dump today in 20 F. air, but I couldn't convince myself to go. I hope this lazy stuff doesn't become a habit. Then I'd be no better than the rest of you.

" I hope this lazy stuff doesn't become a habit. Then I'd be no better than the rest of you. "

This sounds serious. So serious in fact I decided to write a poem to pick you up. After realizing how much trouble it might be writing a poem, I opt to keep a friend's memory alive by reciting one of his. Settle in with a glass of worm tea and enjoy.

Ode To A Queen

I met her at a retirement home about a year ago
And why I still remember her, I guess I'll never know
She'd sit there sobbing in a wad of rags
Here I am in this rocking chair and who's gonna haul them bags ?

Four hundred bags, they just layin out there
My hubby won't haul 'em and my slacker friends don't care
They can't get out and blow around in the breeze
Here I am in this dang chair and who's gonna get those leaves?

Her face was lean and her hands were rough
Her way was leaves and her nature was tough
Her doctors tried to tell her that she may not live at all
But all she ever talked about was leaves and when they fall

Four hundred bags just lying out there
My hubby won't haul 'em and the slackers don't care

Four hundred bags comes to a bunch of mold
A bunch of mold comes to a lot of garden gold
Four hundred bags could fill one heck-of a bin
Not grabbing all those bags is unforgivable sin

Well, the doctors say they do not know what saved the lady from death
But in a few days she put on her overalls and left
That's all there is to this small poem so before you go
When you see Ann tell her Klem said hello

TH

Well that was absolutely delightful, Klem!! I especially liked the part where I escaped the nursing home---a future goal of mine.

I've been working on a poem for you, Klem, and I'm kind of surprised how well it's going, given I've never had much talent as a poet prior to now.

A man named Klem from Texas

had an inflamed solar plexus.

When mocked by a woman from Maine,

It would give him a terrible pain.

Are you from Dallas, Klem? That would give me more to work with.

Oh my gosh,I didn't see this coming. By all means carry on, as with all native Texans I have a 268,595 square mile backyard and Dallas is part of it.

For the record your barbs usually strike well below the solar plexus causing minor nuisance. On the flipside your darts are like acupuncture therapy for my chakras.

I hope I don't regret stirring this pot but it's too late to go back now. As you pointed out from the onset I shouldn't expect this bunch to take any of the heat off me.