The smell of burning leaves is indelibly printed on my brain as the enduring memory of fall. As a kid you had to be careful about riding your bike through the piles of leaves beside the curb, lest the bottom of the pile was smoldering. Alas, for decades burning leaves has been outlawed everywhere I’ve lived. It’s probably a good thing. But I can still smell it in my brain.
This is my front lawn this morning. It was 100% clear if leaves yesterday. I spent the afternoon raking and bagging. Now I have a new carpet of leaves.
Most of the tree is still covered, so this exercise will be repeated. Besides neither of my adjoining neighbors ever rakes their leaves so I often think clearing the leaves at all is a waste.
In the back yard it is the same story, but the three Bradford Pears won’t drop their leaves for a month.
Those were good memories. I try to recreate them on liberal neighbors' tree lawns, but they don't appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteI even remember the burning of leaves in the Dick and Jane book when I was a kid.
ReplyDeleteI just mow them now with the garden tractor and finally find my neighbor's following suit. I'm glad I did it yesterday because they would be covered with snow today.
Mine are covered with snow today too! True confession, I mowed over most of them and only raked those in the flower beds
DeleteJoe
If you can't burn leaves, you live in an area that it too Urban and controlled for me.
ReplyDeleteTime to move, my friend.