The last pumpkin until Halloween

Some of us probably are pumpkined out.  I should be, but I'm not.

I pulled into the lot one morning this week, and the lead pumpkin was coned off.

Another glance and I could see the pumpkin vine hanging into the empty bin (up there on the right!) had been lifted into back fill bin.

The road super stopped on his way out. "I'm expecting a load of slag. If you're here when they come, will you tell them to be careful of the pumpkin."

I missed the slag delivery.  Perhaps the road super was back when it arrived.  Perhaps the driver is used to doing business with the township.

Nice job, wouldn't you say.  But, what is slag and why is it in the gravel bin. That question amused the road super.

It's not "gravel," it's slag.  They use it to patch the roads. They will be out shortly with the tar kettle and loads of (ahem) slag to make road repairs before winter.

Slag is a by product of smelting ore; this comes from the steel mills in Cleveland.  The road super said tons and tons of it were dumped in the Krejci dump, which the national park just declared cleaned up, with millions and millions of Superfund dollars. 

Now, of course, we pay for it.