Cause and Effect? Or Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc?

[MineralMan]

I hauled my sorry ass out of my desk chair and mowed through a 50 year old maple tree's worth of leaves to mulch them this morning. It is not my favorite outdoor chore. It's easier than raking and bagging, and fertilizes the lawn for next year. However, it still is a slog and no fun, either.

However, when I came back in the house after finishing the job, I was rewarded with a nice big property tax refund check, thanks to Minnesota's homestead law. A good thing, too, since funds are dwindling near the end of this month. I was not expecting that refund this quickly, so a hearty cheer went up from my wife and me.

As much as I'd like to think it was my reward for a job well done, it's just a coincidence. I think I'll just enjoy the reward and fool my tired old brain with faulty logic once again, though.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. You don't need to mulch your leaves. Leaving them whole protects pollinators over the winter.

Many organic gardeners opt for shredding their fall leaves for use in compost piles. While this is certainly a more environmentally friendly practice than bagging leaves and sending them to the landfill – shredded leaves will not provide the same cover as leaving them whole, and you may be destroying eggs, caterpillars, and chrysalis along with the leaves. We suggest that leaves in garden beds and lawn edges be left whole. Where space allows, consider creating a leaf pile and allowing it to break down naturally, or add the leaves gradually to your compost pile over time. Such efforts will keep critters safe and allow you to benefit from the rich garden gift that falls from the trees above.

https://xerces.org/2017/10/06/leave-the-leaves/