Forest of 4x4's & Laying to Rest the Fallen Leaves

This weekend saw the building of the penultimate raised bed of the year down in the lower garden, which now appears as a veritable forest of 4x4's. A sad zucchini stands a lonesome vigil over the last, drooping tomatoes. Next weekend, those tomatoes must verily fall as well, if they are not taken by frost during the week, for it shall be the day that the final raised bed of the season rises from the soil in triumph.

A lone figure (I) stood, surveying the fruits of the labor of these last...nine weeks in amazement. The summers work has changed the face of Steepmeadow.

About those leaves which nobly hung from the trees all this past summer. There are a great many of them. And it seems that, in the end, they must fall (as described in this memorable comic bit by Jim Gaffigan).

And it must be noted that they fall indiscriminately, in vast numbers, from the many mature trees that we inherited on the property.

What to do with them all?

Shredding them with the lawnmower and leaving them in place is one option. But, alas, this overran the grass, like the Orc overrunning Osgiliath as Sauron stretched out the first finger of his black hand to assault Minas Tirith, the Tower of Guard.

Retreating, we shredded them into the bag on the back of the mower, and then poured them into paper sacks that look like lunch-bags for baby Rock Giants. This involved taking the little Sun Joe mower over about a line and a half of grass, stopping, dumping, crushing, replacing the bag...Over and over again until 12 bags that came in a pack were full. Fortune smiled upon us, as this completed (for about five minutes before they started falling again) the front yard. 

Mulch! They make good mulch! But you can only reasonably use so much mulch. 

Raised bed fill! We've put an awful lot into the deep raised beds on the side of the hill, but again, they are overrun. 

Compost! Thought of that. Already full.

We shall see what fate delivers. 

A truck is going to deliver 4 yards of dirt, with which we will fill the beds before winter. 

The mail carrier will deliver the garlic bulbs which must be planted soon - they are out for delivery.

Then we shall put them to bed for the season and await the stirring of life once more in the spring.