I have been spreading mulch

 from last year's leaf pile, turning over and shoveling out the compost pile to spread on the garden beds. Doing it in smaller stages than years before, over several days. The regular compost pile, I don't think I'd turned it in two years. Bottom foot was completely infiltrated with masses of fine tree roots. I found the easiest way to deal with these, was chopping the compost/root mass into segments, flipping them over and whacking with the shovel blade over and over to loosen up the mass and knock all the dry sediment out. Tossing the now mostly bare root masses aside, I actually filled nearly twenty buckets full of compost. It was very fine and crumbly and dry, no worms or tiny critters at all. In fact I wonder if it has any nutrient value left, or if the tree roots took it all. Regardless, I spread it on the beds over the rough soil/clay layer recently added. 

Then on the third day, upended my smaller under-the-deck bin (an old metal trash can with holes punched in the sides) which has had a lot more use (I add to this most frequently, as it's covered tightly and vermin can't get in. It gets most of the kitchen vegetable waste, whereas the larger yard bin gets plant trimmings and dry leaves). Complete opposite experience: this compost was heavy, dense, moist, full of crawling worms, had a rich odor. I portioned it out among the beds (about three heaping shovelfuls each, mixed with the drier stuff from the larger backyard bin, spread it all out. Tomorrow will cover the beds with broken-down straw as winter mulch. (A neighbor wanted to get rid of some straw bales they had used for Halloween decoration- my gain!) Then hope it will all be well-mixed and softened by nature's work come spring.

I've also been mowing over the dry leaves several days a week, since it hasn't been damp this is possible and it will help feed my poor lawn. And picking up all the acorns. I realize now that my strategy actually worked: the squirrels have quit frequenting my yard because I'm removing the main attraction. Every few days when I have enough nuts gathered, I fill my pockets or a small bag and take a walk, throw them in the woods behind the neighborhood. The deer can eat them there.