Many, many years ago I asked Dad if he could make a replacement handle for one of my slip scoops.  He might have even still been living at Route 30.  I know the last time I used the slip scoop Ed was living with us and he drove our little Ford tractor and I manned the slip scoop. At the time Dad was fading and the handle he made was very ‘roughed in’.  When Dad gave it to me you mentioned you had some tools that we could use to shape it more like the other handle.  This past week I finally shaped the handle, got new bolts for fastening the handles, wire brushed the scoop and painted it with old motor oil.  Of course, I have 3 slip scoops and I am not sure when I will use it, but it is the only scoop I have that drags and doesn’t attach to 3 point hitch.

Eric and I raked a truckload of pine needles from Elements of Style parking lot and mulched our blue berry bushes today.

I cleaned up the garden and hoed everything in preparation for Rick’s Leaves.

IF THERE IS RAKING, THEN I’M LEAVIN’

(With apologies to Denny, John, Michelle and Mama Cass.)

All the leaves are brown and the sky is gray,
The leaves begun to fall and they won’t blow away
They fall and stay in my neighbor’s yard,
Getting rid of leaves, is a task that’s hard.

They say that winter’s coming, and it’s on its way
Kincaids don’t like the cold, you know they go away.
But leaves are left behind, you know they’re going to stay
Garden and the pasture – that’s where they’ll decay

You can use my truck, or your own John Deere
Dump six on the garden and the rest real near.
In between the trees they will make good mulch.
Just drive careful, don’t get stuck in the gulch.

All the leaves are brown and the sky is gray,
The leaves begun to fall and they won’t blow away
They fall and stay in my neighbor’s yard,
Getting rid of leaves, is a task that’s hard

5+ cord of word for the 2016-17 heating season.