Leaves

I have to admit that I'm loving living in a neighborhood that doesn't have mature trees yet.  Don't get me wrong.  I love trees.  They are beautiful, create shade and privacy and are needed for our environment.  But, I don't miss raking leaves.  Every year I would spend several hours raking and bagging, raking and bagging.  I would end up with double digits in bags full of leaves, sore, and sometimes allergy ridden.  I would do all of this just to have to do it again a week later when the yard would once more become littered with leaves.  One year I flat out refused to rake until all the leaves had fallen.  Then I ended up with a yucky, wet mess and dead grass since it had rained on top of the 4 inches of leaves I had accumulated on my lawn.  So I love the fact that this was something I didn't have to do this year.  Especially since our yard is constantly littered with dog poop.  Try raking leaves in those conditions.

While I didn't have to rake leaves, my in-laws did.  But they have a small yard and a leaf blower ,so it isn't so bad.  This year my father in-law had some helpers.  The job took twice as long, but it was also twice as fun.

 The conversation at the point consisted of, "Grandpa, can I do that? Grandpa, is it my turn yet?  Grandpa?  Grandpa?  I want to use that thing!"

 The pile didn't remain a pile for too long before kids would run through it or take handfuls of leaves and throw them.

I don't miss raking leaves, but I do miss watching the kids play in them.  The kids had a lot of fun and Grandpa actually did get most of the leaves out on the curb.