Leaf Blower Season

October from my Christmas calendar by my daughter-in-law.

The other day while I was hanging up the laundry, I heard a noise in the background. Not a lawn mower. Not a chain saw. When I stopped to listen, I realized it was a leaf blower. Not many of our trees have turned color and started shedding their leaves yet. But a few species are, so someone was getting an early start. 

Dogwood, our earliest fall color

The anticipation of autumn color is a seasonal event in itself. I remember back in the days when TV was free, we would watch the local news. The weather guys would make a color forecast every year. It was either, “the color will be spectacular this year because it’s been so dry.” Or, “the color will be spectacular this year because it’s been so wet.” I always wondered if anybody besides me noticed that.

Our temperatures are trending downward, but other than that, we have only hints of autumn. 

• The shorter days, of course, which required changing the angle of the solar panels.
• Starlings and Canadian geese are beginning to flock. They don’t seem to have departed yet, but they’re getting ready.
• Goldenrod and mistflower blooming.

Goldenrod

Mistflower

We can expect our first killing frost as early as mid-October or as late as early December. It’s never the same from year to year. But we usually have our first fire in the woodstove this month, so I’ve been collecting kindling to get ready. Dan will clean out the chimneys probably next week. 

Of leaf blowers, they probably won’t be revving up regularly until the end of the month. That’s when we can expect our best fall color and the beginning of leaf fall.

Parting Shot

Saluda and Minnie, watching the boys’ antics.