Falling Leaves

2000

In Northern California, we do have changing colors on our deciduous trees.
Really.
They just change differently than they do back east. We have 50-60 degree temperature swings. We can be 70 degrees one morning and 30 the next.
We had 65 degrees in the monsoon rain Monday and near freezing in sunlight today.
Trees get confused.
It is January.
Winter.
And the trees at Ohlone have burst into bloom!
My orange tree has blossoms all year long. It has no idea what it is doing.
The roses do this too. We just get bigger flowers and more of them in the summer.
But the leaves.
They stayed on the trees through November.
They stayed green.
And then, one crisp day, they all decided to change colors.
All at once.
Wham.
I was looking at Autumn. In winter.
They still hung in there.
Until one day, in December, they decided to all come down.
At once.
Whomp.
Knee deep in leaves.
I raked the back yard. Before I had surgery.
But I was working on the novel and was distracted and never made it to the side yards or the front.
And then I had the surgery.
And the leaves piled back up in the back yard (I had filled the container and dumped one load). The leaves in the front came from the neighbor's trees.
The street was littered. I had raked it once too. No matter.
They piled back up. It was windy and they just arrived.
They were everywhere.
And I am disabled for the moment (stitches come out tomorrow).
So. I looked at the neighbor (she's 93) and she had a gardener cleaning up her yard. He does it weekly.
How much? I ask.
Oh about $100 he says. Next Tuesday. Front and back.
Now you know why the dog was in my bedroom this week!
It is Wednesday. They finished it today.
We have already dumped a second recycling container (I have a BIG one) and the third load is filled.
Plus more.
And we have furniture (now wet) and other stuff ready for BFI. Refuse.
Spring cleaning.
In winter.
But I can see the ground (must now spray the weeds) and the back yard is now fit for the dog and I know how to maintain it.
Ortho.
Grass Killer.
I am a big believer in low-water landscaping.
I am a fan of trees.
Come to think of it, I have a spot in the back yard that is just waiting......