Thinking Out Loud
Leaf Me Out Of It

November 8, 2015
By: Diane Szczepanski

A gust of wind rattles the window, and I look out. Leaves are whooshing all over the place, flying past horizontally as if they have engines of their own.
Kate Messner

When you have the biggest maple tree on your block in your backyard, you dread the annual shedding of the leaves in Fall. With a ferocity.

Bag after bag after bag, hours of raking and the only reward is the aching back at the end of the job.

This year I'm ashamed to admit that one or two blustery days, thanks to the remnants of Hurricane Patricia, considerably alleviated the tedious task of collecting fallen leaves to a bare minimum and blew most of them into the surrounding neighbor's yards.

You'd think I would feel a little guilty.

Nope.

You'd think I would be a little embarrassed at the mass of MY tree's leaves that accumulated in the neighbor's tree barren yard.

Nope.

You'd think I would miss the chance for a little outdoor exercise and the smell of fresh, crisp Fall air.

Nope.

As I look to the future tasks on my horizon, I can only hope the snowstorms that are sure to come, are accompanied by strong, gale force winds that blow the drifts north of my own driveway.

Sorry, neighbors.