Rake, Baby, Rake

This is our first full year in this home...and today, I realized how arbor-ly endowed we are. This is our first home with more than two trees. When we first saw the home, we thought, "Oh, look at all the trees! How beautiful!" "Oh, look at the flowers on the trees...how beautiful." "Oh, look at the changing colors...how beautiful!" "Look at them fall...how beautiful."

Well, I thought I'd better rake before the leaves blow into the neighbors' yards. I'll tell you...it gets old really fast. I stand there in the never-ending sea of leaves and begin counting...11 in the front and 4 huge ones in the back. Fifteen trees!

Fif...teen...trees... I became discouraged. I can't imagine doing this the rest of my life. I secretly wished the next Spring's snow would split them, and we'd have to remove them. But then I thought this was a good workout for my arms. Doing this each day and soon shoveling snow will help tone the arms.

I want to gain arm strength. New goal: wall push-ups every other day (in addition to raking/shoveling).

Then, maybe someday I'll hear someone say, "Oh, look at her arms...how beautiful!"