Watch Your Step

Tinka and I were comparing notes about the need to be exceptionally careful at this time of year.  Our yards become places full of potential disaster, even though she is not plagued with the dadratted ground squirrels as I am.  The winds of late have brought down tons more leaves which hide the booby traps waiting to trip us up and bring us down.   In my case, there are squirrel holes big enough to hide small children or large dogs (okay, that's a slight exaggeration) and definitely large enough to trip a grown man.  Small limbs and twigs have also fallen hiding in the leaves which, if stepped on wrong, will turn underfoot and cause a fall.  As if that weren't enough, there are the acorns.  It's like walking on ball bearings just to get to the chicken pen.  Acorns take a two-pronged approach.  If they can't trip you, they'll hit you in the head.  They must pick up speed as they fall because they land hard.  I'll never understand how the truck is not dimpled, given the loud bangs as they hit.  It's the time of year to watch your step.  They don't call it fall for nothing.