So it is that time again...the days are not so hot, mornings and evenings are almost perfect (at least in my area of Southern Utah). You may have noticed a few yellow leaves on the trees or ground, indicating the change is beginning and we are about to receive a gift of even more natural beauty with the fall colors. Then, for some of us, we are able to receive a natural workout by raking all of the leaves! My family is blessed with 8 large mulberry trees, which provide an excellent source shade in the summer. In addition, they provide an abundance of leaves on the ground! Apparently the trees communicate, and one night the trees do some sort of countdown and release all of the leaves at the same time! Ah, but the positive aspect is it provides an activity that my children absolutely love...jumping in the leaf pile. It has become a new family tradition and one of our favorites.

Now that the weather is cooling, we need to prepare for winter. This is a good time for lawn aeration and fertilization. In addition, we can begin to slow down the watering process, maybe by a few minutes or perhaps you will decide to skip a day. You may want to bump your time later in the day, if you water early. Begin to think about winterizing your home. Here are a few things that we plan to do to our home, I thought I would share them with you:

• Repair cracks in the driveway and walk way. I found this wonderful product, which is like concrete in a bottle. You shake it, cut the tip off, and then squirt it into the crack. I am going to work on this myself! Cracks in the concrete will allow water to penetrate and settle under the slab. On a cold night, the water will freeze, causing expansion and make your cracks larger each year. Fix it now and avert costly repairs later.
• Door and window seals. Another project I plan to tackle! I found a window seal product, which is a strip of vinyl (or rubber) and one side is sticky. Follow the directions of where to place it, cut, and stick. (Sounds simple enough) It blocks drafts from entering the home, not to mention heat, so you will save on energy year round with this quick little project.

Wish me luck on my projects! I hope this is as easy as it appears!

If you would like to know more about Southern Utah, visit my website!  www.StGeorgeUtProperty.com