I am one happy camper!

After nearly twenty years, I finally applied a system for raking Mama Kay’s yard that was much more expedient. Her tree sits at the corner of her yard where Rockhill Avenue runs into Shroyer Road, and it is always one of the last trees to empty. I have learned that it is much easier to clear up the dropped leaves in several stages throughout the raking season so that there is not so much work at the end of the season when it is usually colder and damp. Actually, it is a repeat process as the tree is huge and always full.

In years past, I have simply used the leaf blower 95% of the time and raked it to tidy up. Blowing the leaves was always cumbersome because the layers pile up becoming heavier to move with the air. There were times I felt nothing was really moving the process along.

I remembered seeing my neighbor, Kate, from across the street, raking her leaves onto a large sheet and dragging them to their destination. So, I grabbed a canvas from the basement and raked the offensive walnut tree stems onto the edge of my hill to make their piles easier to maneuver. It was easy.

I blew the thick layers of leaves in Mama Kay’s yard into levees, banked next to the sidewalk. Nearly three-fourths of her yard is on a slight incline, like mine, and the extensive wall of leaves ran along Shroyer Road and for about sixty feet on the Rockhill Avenue side.

I raked the leaf levees into huge piles onto the tarp on the sidewalk, secured the end with a bungee cord, and used another bungee cord as a handle with which to drag the contents. It only took FIVE tarp-filled trips to the easement alongside Rockhill and I had the majority completed. I’ve only a small strip at the corner of her yard to complete.

When Mama Kay returned home I was fairly giddy due to not only the accomplishment but also the decision to make levees and use the tarp, saving an immense amount of time. I worked from 1:00 PM to 6:30 PM and believe I’ve reached a landmark completion time.

Phase One of Project Leaf Patrol is done!

PHOTOS: Two “before” photos and the remaining are the results. You can see just how many leaves remain on the tree!