The fall colors really have been nice this year despite everything and the mild weather has enabled them to last a bit longer into the fall.
But as you can see by the beginning of our wall of leaves here and my neighbor’s budding pile across the street, all that beauty is limited.
Tree canopy
And all of this still has to fall. As I walk out with with the dog, or walk out to the car, I can hear the falling leaves come down. At times, it almost sounds like raindrops.
Yesterday when I was out with the dog, we stopped by another neighbor who was raking. I remarked that all the people who come here to see our beautiful leaves never think about all the work that they are.
She agreed–but then added that it had been a gorgeous year for leaves. So I guess this is definitely a case of having a little bit of bad with a lot of good!
Gardendaze 
I agree this is the most beautiful foliage season in many years. We keep all our fallen leaves on all soft surfaces, meaning lawn and garden and only remove from the driveway and walkway. Then it’s an easy cleanup later in spring after the pollinators have hatched from the among the leaves where many lay eggs. It’s so much easier this way and the leaves are natures free food for all the plants.
I agree about keeping leaves in as many spots as I can for the pollinators. But the leaf fall on the lawn under those maples is just too much! It was over my ankles on Saturday–and it’s over my ankles again today and there’s more to come!
I wish I thought I could leave all that on the lawn all winter but it would just cause rot. (We have heavy, wet clay soil because we’re on bedrock). But I envy you that you can do it. Our pollinators need all the help that they can get!
Karla
Yes, it is definitely starting! (I have heavy clay also, so I hear you loud and clear.) Oak leaves are even worse because they never break down, at least not in a normal human lifespan anyway, lol
It’s interesting–I was lecturing recently about sustainable practices and I mentioned that I leave my leaves in the gardens. And someone asked about oak leaves. Specifically, they were worried about 2 things, I think, the first being your point about the leaves being tough to break down and the second being the words that oaks leach tannins, etc. into the soil.
So I simply said that yes, I have oaks–many oaks–and no, I don’t worry about the oak leaves in the gardens. I haven’t had a problem with them there (but I shudder to think about them on the lawn). I also haven’t had a problem with the piles and piles of pine needles that fall into the gardens–but again, my soil is extremely acidic because of the rock ledge. The pine needles could scarcely make it any worse if they tried 🙂
Karla