It’s a beautiful day

I’m sitting looking out over school playing fields, the early morning frost has melted leaving the grass glistening. A few trees stubbornly hang onto their last leaves, and the church spire points heav’nward, contrasting against a hazy blue and cloudless sky. All is perfect except for just one thing …

Blooming leaf blowers!!! I can hear at least two going and it’s spoiling my contemplation of this lovely late autumn day. Heaven forbid anyone should have to look where they’re going and risk slipping on a wet leaf. And how many times have you seen leaf blowers in action, carefully manouevring all the leaves into a neat pile – then they don’t pick them up and they just blow back.

A giant beech tree on our neighbour’s plot sheds its leafy load all over our garden annually. About four years ago, we bought a leaf blower/vacuum, but only used it for that one autumn – it’s just so noisy and awkward to use (and we’re still using the leafmould from that year’s collection). Instead, I’ve gone back to the quiet but energetic method of brush and a pair of those giant plastic leaf-picking up hands – but then I do need the exercise.

Aah! They’ve stopped. Just in time to go back to work – oh well!

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