by Paula D.
on November 28, 2022 12:37 pm in Plants
The crisp air reminds me of a fall day when I was in grammar school. We went outside and collected leaves from the field next to the playground. My classmates and I were scattered about. I remember feeling anxious, wanting to find the best and brightest ones before everyone else did. I was on a color collection mission. My next recollection is staring at my precious assortment of orange and red leaves on an off-white table. I don’t particularly remember what the art project entailed or what I made. I do recall my art teacher explaining that she would laminate our final creations and I thought that was cool. I know I enjoyed the project and process very much.
Fallen leaves over winter provide an ecosystem for important insects such as bumblebees
I still look down at the leaves under my shoes. The best moments are when I’m running errands, distracted and then the brightness of a very special leaf catches my eye. And I pause to appreciate its vivid beauty. The multi-color patterns and intricate lines are pretty amazing when you look closely. But they do not last. Maybe their inevitable decay is why they are so precious. Like all things of nature – nothing gold can stay.
Leaves change color as the length of the night increases and they receive less chlorophyll. With this, a biochemical process begins which determines the color changes that produce the beautiful hues of fall foliage.
It may be tempting to clean up the yard on a sunny autumn day, raking, blowing, and bagging up the leaves. But it is best to leave nature’s natural process alone. Butterflies, bees, moths, spiders, and other pollinators and insects rely on the bed of fallen leaves as their food source and ecosystem over winter. And yes, I said bees… newly mated bumblebee queens hibernate in small nests underground – about 3-5 inches below the soil, protected by leaves. They emerge in the spring to find the perfect location to start their new hive family. And the queen does this all on her own until her first brood is hatched. Queen’s rule! I hope this bumblebee fact makes you think twice about raking the yard this weekend.
Other benefits to leaving the leaves:
- Less work.
- Leaves form a natural mulch that enriches the soil. I wrote a column about it a few months ago, check it out… Mulch Grows Soil.
- Use some to make lovely seasonal artwork for yourself and/or to educate your children.
My friend Jodi Jordan Mulvanerty is a Pre-K teacher. She was inspired by the fall foliage and made collages with her students. Get creative with the colorful nature around you. If you make artwork using leaves, tag me on Instagram (@theglorifiedtomato), I’d love to share the work on my feed!
Mckenzie Dowler gets a photo with Skelly after a surf sesh.
It was late at night. I was in bed looking on craigslist in hopes of finding the elusive 12 foot Home Depot Skeleton on the black market. No luck. But then, like a magic rabbit popping out of a velvet hat, there he was, back in stock on homedepot.com. Clicking “purchase” gave me a sensational rush of power. I hit the freedom button.
It’s not often that a big box store gives society a big communal gift. There is something culturally significant about the 12 ft skeleton (dubbed Skelly). Maybe it resonates with us because it’s a ridiculous statement of our consumer culture; or it echoes the thin sadness on our faces that we try so hard to bury inside of ourselves; or perhaps its massive presence gives us strength; or maybe it simply brings a smile to your child’s face. The larger-than-life, high-density polyethylene yard decoration was first issued in 2020. It was enormously popular but then disappeared during Covid. This year, Skelly reemerged and it has been fervently sought after.
I kept checking my order status. I had very little time before the big day. And then I thought, “How the hell am I putting this thing together?” I finally got a notification the Tuesday before Halloween, “Your order is ready for pick up.” I drive to Home Depot in a frenzy of excitement. Four construction dudes notice my alarm as I’m looking at the gigantic box. I had know clue how I was getting it in the car. One of the guys said it would never fit in my Chrysler Pacifica and I should hire one of those vans in the parking lot. As the men debated, an older gentleman, a Home Depot employee named Bruno said, “Let me help you to the car, we’ll figure it out.”
The construction guys were right though. The box didn’t fit but Bruno had an idea. We took the skeleton out of the box and shoved the body parts in my car. I drive home smiling ear to ear with the bones in the back seat.
My friend Tom was happy (I think) to help me assemble the skeleton. If you know the basics of anatomy, the Skelly isn’t complicated to set up. You just need one strong, willing person to assist. My friend Kaori, who doesn’t like Halloween (for various reasons I will not disclose), recognized the importance of the moment and documented the process with video.
What I thought would be a silly, temporary “happy fix” for me, turned into something genuinely special. My friends and neighbors freaked out with excitement! They embraced Skelly. The whole town was on my side. The towering bones connected us in community. Everyone wanted a picture with him. My instagram blew up! The kids’ eyes lit up with wonder, almost as bright as Skelly’s artificial, animated LCD eyeballs. I’d see people I didn’t know outside in the garden getting their photo ops too. I’m thrilled everyone embraced my impulse purchase. Thank you for making this Halloween so special for me. I wholeheartedly appreciate all of you.
To see dozens of photos of your neighbors with Skelly, visit my Instagram page – @theglorifiedtomato
Baby Arthur Yoda, Patsy and Laura Nesci Carroll get thier family photo in!
Susannah Ray, Kristi Dickerson, Collin Ackers, Bridget Klapinski.
There’s a new women-owned and operated event/art space now open in Rockaway Beach. I was thrilled when I heard about Vazio’s opening and I’m eager to share some details with you.
Experience Vazio NYC on Sunday, October 16th from 1-6pm at the debut reception. Join co-owners, Goodform’s Monice Small and Rock Rock Hair’s Patricia Silva at ‘SNEAK PEAK’, a group art show featuring the works of Victoria Barber, Carolin Wood, Eric Anderson, DJ Schmidt, Saara Untracht-Oakner, Laura Glambman, Matt Jackson, Riley, and Juan Heredia. The majority of artists are Rockaway locals with a dash of Brooklyn creators also exhibiting. Expect a wide range of mediums – painting, pointillism, collage, printmaking, photography, and sculpture. A peek into the lives of each creator at this one-day pop-up.
(Left) Patricia Silva (right) Monice Small. Photo by Lindsay Vitale
In addition, the show invites you to visualize the potential of Vazio NYC. “Vazio” is a Portuguese word meaning: empty place, vehicle, or container. Monice and Patricia challenge us to fill this bare space with our creative expression, however that manifests for you. And in turn, provoke our community to engage and understand your message.
Small and Silva came together with a shared goal – to design a creative space for artists to utilize. I asked Patricia how the concept for Vazio came to fruition, “I connected with Mo [Monice Small] through taking her personal training classes and we started talking in the spring about having a place to create content for our own businesses, so when the space opened up in the summer, we knew it was meant for us to snatch up! We wanted to create a place for the community to use who had similar needs. We have also rented it out for kids’ parties and small events-it’s been super successful!”
Pen and ink by Eric Anderson.
‘SNEAK PEAK,’ It’s not to be missed. Some works will be for sale. Browse, enjoy the art, sip some wine, and meet like-minded community members and neighbors. Vazio NYC is located at 88-08 Rockaway Beach Blvd. (in The Wave Building). A $5 donation will be accepted. Please support this beautiful new community space!
Find the studio on IG – @vazionyc, and follow for more information on ‘SNEAK PEAK,’ for upcoming events or to connect about hosting your own event at Vazio NYC. Follow my favorite hair care salon @rockrockhair, and the newly opened (!!) exercise and training center @goodform_studios to learn about their services.
Follow me for the day-to-day around down –@theglorifiedtomato.
