THOSE AUTUMN LEAVES

 

Instead of cursing the leaves as they fall, bagging them up, and sending truckloads to the landfill, consider a better approach. Those same leaves can enrich your garden while helping reduce greenhouse gases and waste.

 

Few people realize that fallen leaves make up one of the largest single contributions to landfills by volume. A study from roughly a decade ago found that more than eight million tons of leaves were delivered to landfills across the country each year. It doesn’t have to be that way.

 

Viewed as a resource rather than yard waste, leaves become a free, nutrient-rich gift for your lawn, roses, trees, and vegetable garden. With the exception of black walnut, eucalyptus, and oleander leaves (which should be avoided), most others will give your soil a healthy boost and leave your neighbors envious of your thriving beds.

 

Yes, it takes a little more effort than simply raking and bagging. Leaving whole leaves on the lawn all winter isn’t ideal either—rain and snow leach away many of their valuable minerals. A smarter option is to use them right away as mulch under trees and shrubs or in areas where you want to suppress weeds next spring. You can also run a lawn mower over the leaves to shred them and leave them in place; the fine pieces break down quickly and feed the grass.

 

For a longer-term solution, pile the leaves, enclose them with metal fencing or wire, and turn the pile occasionally with a garden hoe or hay fork. In about six months you’ll have rich, dark leaf mold—an excellent soil amendment that absorbs up to five times its weight in water. Worked into heavy clay, it transforms the texture into a much more plant-friendly medium. Any leftover leaf mold can go straight into your regular compost pile, where it will continue to break down and feed the worms.

 

Handle this year’s leaves wisely, and by next spring you’ll find yourself looking forward to the next autumn cascade.

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

 

BUTTERNUT SQUASH MAC AND CHEESE

 

Ingredients:

1 pound of dried pasta salt (to taste)
4 tablespoons butter

1/2 onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

4 tablespoons flour

2 cups milk, at room temperature

2 cups (8 ounces) grated aged/sharp cheddar

2 (15 ounce) cans butternut squash (or canned pumpkin)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper  

 

For the breadcrumb topping:

2 cups fresh breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons melted butter salt and pepper (to taste)

 

Directions

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted, boiling water, and drain 2 minutes shy of the package instructions. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside. Preheat an oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the middle position.

 

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the onion, garlic, thyme leaves and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft (about 5 minutes). Stir in the flour and cook for 3 minutes, then stir in the milk and cook until just starting to thicken (about 3 minutes). Take the sauce off the heat, then stir in the cheddar until fully incorporated. Add butternut squash, mustard, cayenne and black pepper, stirring to combine. Season to taste with salt.

 

Pour cheese sauce into the bowl with the pasta until the macaroni is coated in sauce. Using a spatula, transfer pasta and sauce into a 9" x 13" baking dish.

 

Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and melted butter in a medium bowl, tossing until crumbs are evenly coated in the butter. Season with a pinch of salt and several shakes of black pepper. Sprinkle breadcrumb topping evenly over the shells and cheese.

Bake in the oven until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and sauce bubbles around the edges (25 - 30 minutes).

Back to School: Let’s Do This (With Snacks and a Sense of Humor)

 

The backpacks are dusted off, the pencils are sharpened (or at least purchased), and the collective parental sigh of relief can be heard across the neighborhood. Summer’s glorious chaos is packing its bags, and it’s officially back-to-school season.

 

Whether you’re sending a kindergartener who still thinks recess is the main subject or a high-schooler who has already perfected the art of the dramatic eye-roll, this time of year comes with its own special mix of excitement, mild panic, and an inexplicable urge to buy more binders than anyone will ever use.

 

Here’s the fun part: back-to-school doesn’t have to feel like a military operation. Treat it like the fresh start it is. New notebooks equal new possibilities. A clean lunchbox is basically a blank canvas for culinary creativity (or at least something that isn’t last week’s forgotten yogurt). And those first-day outfits? Pure runway potential—whether it’s a carefully chosen ensemble or the “I found this clean-ish shirt” look.

 

A few lighthearted survival tips for the season:

 

* Celebrate the little wins. Survived the first drop-off without tears (yours or theirs)? That’s championship-level parenting.

 
* Stock the pantry like you’re preparing for a very polite apocalypse. After-school hunger is real and it does not negotiate.  

 

* Embrace the early bedtime routine… eventually. The first week of earlier nights may feel like jet lag, but your future self will thank you.  

 

* Remember that teachers are superheroes in sensible shoes. A simple thank-you note or a well-timed coffee gift card goes a long way.

 

Most importantly, keep the mood light. Kids pick up on our energy. If we treat the start of the school year like an adventure instead of a sentence, they’re more likely to do the same.

 

So grab that shiny new planner, pack a little extra patience (and snacks), and dive in. The bell is about to ring, the leaves are starting to turn, and a whole new chapter is waiting. Here’s to fresh starts, full lunchboxes, and making it through September with most of our sanity intact.

 

You’ve got this.