Raking leaves

I’ve been raking up fallen leaves this weekend.  It’s a task I like doing – partly because of the leaves themselves, but also I know what good compost they make.  Often in collecting them up I find a worm family already there, enjoying the damp decomposition.

It was a job given to us as children, to earn our pocket-money, and I enjoyed it then too – out in the blustery weather, strong Autumn smells, hard work and then indoors for tea and often hot toasted crumpets.  This is the very rake I used all those years ago and I remember the length of the handle being a challenge, but loving the bright yellow colour.

It has shed a few tines since then, and taken the odd knock, but still rakes up beautifully.