Autumn Leaves (and what to do with them)

Greetings from "Chicagoland" (gag) where the autumn leaves have begun to fall, avec gusto. Two thoughts entered my head when I saw the stately maple in front of our rented bungalow in Oak Park.

- "Ooo, fall colors. Pretty..."
- "God I hate raking leaves."

Actually the raking part isn't so bad. It's the bagging and disposing part that frosts my tomato blossoms. At least it was in Kansas City, where I would invariably not get everything bagged by the time curbside collection (literally) rolled around.

Not a problem around here, where they invite you to just rake your leaves into the street (within certain guidelines). Then throughout October and November the diesel equivalent of a broom and dust pan roam the side streets looking for piles (see above).

This is thanks not only to the sheer volume of deciduous leaves dropping hereabouts but also a level of municipal services that no doubt boils the blood of guys over at Americans for Limited Government. But then I'm not sure the Sierra Club is thrilled about the exhaust either.