My trees reward me for my love and protection with an abundance of leaves. My trees make leaves faster than our government prints money (and the leaves are probably worth about the same amount on a leaf per dollar basis).

Over the years, I have tried just about every method, gimmick, tool, system and any other type of plan or gadget to make it easier to get rid of the leaves. I have a garage full of blowers, suckers, mulchers, sweepers, tarps, bags, and bins "specially designed for leaf removal".

Unfortunately, none of this stuff works. At the end of the day, as with so many other things in life, there is nothing as effective as hard work with a regular old rake and some clear leaf bags.

I have fought the leaf removal process for years and years. However, over the past few years my position has softened. You see, there is something good and right about spending a few hours raking and bagging in the cool fall air under the trees. I have the free gift of being able to listen to the breeze rustling in the trees and through the leaves on the ground and get a good work out at the same time.

Believe me when I say that I mean nothing political with the next few comments. As our country has been at war over the past eight years, I have seen many of our best and brightest come home terribly maimed and injured. It finally dawned on me that these brave men and women would love to be able to hold a rake with both hands and do the hard work to rake and bag leaves. Given the sacrifice that these patriots have made for all of us, the last thing you will hear me complain about is a little physical labor.

God Bless America.

Enjoy!