Fall in Old Leawood

I love fall.  It's definitely my favorite season.  The weather is mild, it's football season, the colors are beautiful, and it's appropriate to bake just about anything with pumpkin as the main ingredient.

After living in Prairie Village for 5 years, we thought we knew all about dealing with leaves in October and November.  After all, we had a giant oak tree in our front yard, plus next door neighbors who only stepped foot in their backyard about 5 times each year.  How could it be worse?

As it turns out, it can be worse. 



By the time this weekly round of gathering leaves was over, we had 18 of these bags full of leaves. 

 

I don't know much about trees, but I am certainly learning a lot about sycamores this year.  In the summer, they shed bark and lots of funky little branches every time the wind comes up or it rains.  And then in the fall, tens of thousands of leaves that are bigger than my head rain down for 2 months.  The leaves are so large, they instantly clog up our leaf vaccuum.  We have not one, but 2 sycamores in the middle of our backyard.  And our neighbor has a pair in her yard, too.  I shudder to think what these trees will do in the winter and spring.  These first two seasons have been such a treat.

I have to admit, though, they are beautiful.

And then there is this bad boy.  We have 5 big evergreen trees in our yard.  One is dead, one is almost dead, and this one turned orange and is dropping its tiny needles all over.  Because giant leaves aren't overwhelming enough.  Is it supposed to do that?  Is it a faux "ever"green? 

Ummm...are you okay, Tree?

Ironically, I have to remind myself why we love this neighborhood and wanted to move here so badly: the trees.  They really are beautiful, especially the large trees in every front yard that create a canopy over the streets.  They create privacy and character not found in new neighborhoods.  And most of the year, I'm not annoyed by them at all.  This just isn't that time of year.