Freeport, Maine — In an increasingly outraged America, even the lowly leaf is subject to controversy, with many Americans upset about the hassle of raking and bagging them every fall.
But there is at least one place left in America where pure autumn joy can still be found. It appears annually in Jody Hartman’s front yard in Freeport, Maine, after he piles up his leaves and gives his dog Stella the greenlight to run through them.
“She kind of likes the feeling of it, I think, the sound, maybe, it’s just her little comfort zone,” Hartman said.
Stella started doing this about nine years ago, and a few years after she started, the Hartman family’s other dog, Mabel, also caught the fever.
Hartman’s videos are now extremely popular on social media, which is why he goes to great lengths to make sure his leaf pile lasts as long as possible.
“I was out in the yard with a hair dryer trying to dry them out,” Hartman said. “I have to cover them with my new roof, just leaf maintenance all the time.”
Hartman said his pooches are the priority, having even kept kids from the piles. He explained why the perfect leaves and his dogs’ excitement are so valuable.
“I think in a world where there’s so much noise, especially on social media, it just doesn’t get much more simple and wholesome than a dog just running and jumping in the leaves, he said. “There’s something about it.”
That little periscope of hope, popping out of the chaos, is a reminder that joy is still out there — if you just jump.
