After more than six months of being contained, trimmed, beautified and doused with chemicals, nature exerts her revenge on the American suburbanite in November. Showering lawns, gardens, roofs and walkways with a copious mix of leaves, twigs and seed pods, she reminds us that manicured landscapes are not her style.
So the fastidious homeowner, intent on maintaining order, must rake, scoop and remove nature's debris. Ever mindful of his watchful neighbors and the expectations of his community, he recycles this "yard waste" in appropriate bags and places them on the curb (in an orderly fashion) for all to see. He is, indeed, a green-minded citizen.
Those of us more accepting of nature's way are slow to respond to this onslaught of plant debris. We know that wind and rain and snow will remove much of it, that mold and bacteria will degrade the larger components and that a variety of creatures (earthworms, moles, mice, squirrels) will make use of its edible contents. We may clean the gutters and rake some areas but will leave most of nature's debris to nourish and sustain the natural landscape and its residents. Of course, some may blow into the lawn master's yard and end up in those bags.
