A Gingko tree in my neighborhood in fall splendor. (Note the unsightly golden leaves on the lawn.)
I had a whole nuther post written where I really had fun with with leaf blower double entrendres, but I decided that was a cheap trick and beneath me. But I had to keep the title.
I live in a neighborhood where the Autumn Leaf Anality Index is pretty high. I’d say about 8 out of 10. If you allow your leaves to linger on your front lawn for too many days, you may be considered suspect. Perhaps you won’t get an invitation to the 4th of the July block party. Kids may avoid your house at Halloween. What? You say you have a heavily wooded lot and it just seems natural to let some of the leaves sit and decay where they are? Sorry, no dice! Allowing leaves to accumulate on your property is outrageous, unsightly, and downright un-American!
Look what one of my neighbors did to his poor maple tree just so that he wouldn’t have so many autumn leaves to deal with in the fall. If you look closely, you’ll see that he basically hacked off the top third. Tragic! Better to cut the tree down altogether than leave this mangled specimen standing:
A neat lawn doesn't make up for the deformed tree.
This final shot was taken in the neighborhood adjacent to mine, where the Leaf Anality Index is 10/10. Good thing they’re getting rid of all that organic matter now so they will have plenty of room to lay down giant piles of mulch in the spring:
Also note the FOUR AC units along the house in the background.
Black Walnut Dispatch 
could you email me? I’d like to share something…
Sure, Susan, I’m just trying to figure out how to get your email address…I clicked on your name but it didn’t come up. I’m still trying to get a grasp on this blogging technology!
Fun post! Don’t you know that tidy yards are patriotic?! Only terrorists let leaves fall.
I think I can park a car on concrete blocks in my front yard, and my neighbors wouldn’t complain (too much). Of course, that could be because the previous tenant let the place fall apart so bad, it looks like a haunted house.
Hoping your tidy neighbors don’t read garden blogs . . .
Hahahahaha…so true! I’m glad I live in a really relaxed neighborhood…even though we have tons of leaves from all the mature Oaks on our street…nobody really cares. Of course, on the one day a year that the city comes by to collect the leaves, we all run out in unison to rake like fiends!
Hi Scott,
I wish I lived in a more “relaxed” neighborhood…I think they are few an far between here in northern virginia! thanks for reading!
Mary
Best part of my thanksgiving weekend – raking most – not all – of my leaves and making leaf mold!! Step one – rake leaves
Step two – collect in a round plastic garbage can – 20 gallon type
Step three – have at it with your string trimmer
(hint 1 – wear a mask so you don’t breathe in all those fine leaves as they are getting chopped up)
(hint 2 – wear eye gear for extra protection)
Step four – work the new compost into your garden with a rake
Step five – step back and revel in nature’s bounty!
Mira,
I use my mower to chop up the leaves but I don’t think it works as well as a string trimmer. Unfortunately I don’t own a string trimmer…. I wonder if there’s some sort of alternate tool I could use? Maybe put small batches of leaves in my blender…? :o)
Mary