Shaking Trees and Raking Leaves

Come to think about it, the pine tree has not been dropping needles as much this year. Last year we raked them up and made a huge nest around Halloween time. This year I'm sure Tyler has mowed up plenty of them, but there haven't been enough to really worry about them, let alone rake. (Maybe it just sheds every other year??)

Our other leafy trees have dropped their cargo in accordance with Fall regulations. Some of them had a little extra help. There is a little tree on the sport court side of the fence that has funny pods. I believe it is a locust tree, but June calls the pods 'banana shakers.' Pearl likes to stand and shake the heck out of the tree. Amazingly, the pods don't really come off, but Pearl is often covered in a flurry of yellow leaves. I took a picture back when Pearl was getting some good use out of the shaking.

The kids are very good about helping if we ask and many times this fall they have been motivated to get the rakes out on their own volition. I caught them helping one day and being adorable, of course. Daisy is working hard.

I know Pearl is a blurry blob here, but I loved how she would get a scoop of leaves and then throw them in the bigger pile.

I think this rake is bigger than Daisy.

Ivory got some cool gardenish gloves from trick-or-treating. She was using them while she raked. (Which is good. Some of those handles give you slivers.)

 Most of the leaves are gone which is good because snow is just around the corner. We woke up to a dusting on the ground this morning. Jack Frost is starting to leave not so subtle hints that he is setting up camp and staying for a while.

Goodbye Fall. *sigh*