19 Nov Here Comes the Rain

Through the kitchen windows out into our backyard a confetti storm of red, orange, and yellow is raining down onto Jeanette’s meticulously manicured lawn. Here in New England we view the brilliant autumn colors that attract so many leaf-peepers from out-of-state as harbingers of a cold and snowy winter to come. And, like the chipmunks and squirrels who are scurrying about gathering their winter hoard of acorns from our bountiful oak trees, Jeanette and I get busy gathering all those leaves before the snow can blanket them for the winter, producing a soggy, grass smothering mat come spring.

Fall is a busy time of year here in New England. There are vegetables to be harvested, firewood to be stacked closer to the fireplace, and patio furniture to be stored. It is all stuff one would just as soon put off for another day, but winter is coming and there are only so many ‘other days’ left before it becomes too late and we have a real mess with which to deal in the spring.

Year-end tax planning is like that. There are just dozens of potential tax-reducing opportunities to be gathered, if only we do so well enough ahead of December 31st. The same inclination to put it off until another day is an alluring distraction.  And, yet, we know if we wait until it is too late, April 15th will not be pretty sight. Too bad it doesn’t rain tax dollars this time of year.  I find the sight of all those leaves filling the sky and piling up on the lawn and patio a nagging reminder that just will not rest.

Of course, there is Jeanette’s prodding to be acknowledged as well. There is no end to the time and attention she pays our lawn and flower gardens. In fact, if you go to Google Maps and pull up the street view of our house you will see Jeanette out front mowing the lawn.

We can’t all be fastidious about our landscaping or our taxes. But, unless we want a mess with which to deal in the spring we need to either get at it… or hire someone to get at it for us.