The Flip Side of Fall Colours

Where there are pretty coloured leaves, there are going to be falling leaves. And when your property has a number of trees, including a gigantic elm tree, that means a lot of falling leaves. Fall raking has begun at my mum’s, and it is a month-long job. We spent an hour or so raking before the rain came, and we did a truck load plus eight full garbage cans and eight full yard bags. And we barely touched it all. Plus, the elm is still more than two-thirds full.

She can’t let the leaves mulch away because there are just too many of them and they would kill the grass if she left them through the very wet west coast winter. So, we rake.

You can see the area we cleared, and some of the piles still to be picked up.

Mr. Kate raking under the giant elm tree. Every time the wind would gust more leaves would land in front of the rake. It was pretty funny (my job was to fill the bags and cans, so I wasn't frustrated by more falling leaves).

The leaf contraption that Bushboy loves to use. It's like a broom that sweeps the leaves into the bag. And it's hard work to push it over the wet grass!

Even the sheep next door are a little tired of all the leaves, as they cover the grass. This is also under the giant elm tree, although it looks like many of those leaves are from neighbouring maple trees.

We actually enjoy the leaf raking, it’s a fun family chore that is very satisfying…. until the wind blows again.

Advertisement