Message of the Day – Leaves

It’s that time of year in the rural parts of Crystal Lake.

Leaf burning time.

This smoke was blowing across the Crystal Lake-McHenry Blacktop from the first lot in Covered Bridge Trails.

It was thick and would soon be thicker, because it was starting to rain.

I am so glad that Lakewood Village President Julie Richardson led the movement when she was still a trustee to ban leaf burning in town.

It used to be that people would burn along the sides of Lake Avenue. At times the smoke obscured the road.

It was worst than a blizzard.

The worst part was that one could not leave one’s bedroom windows open during what could arguably be labeled at the best sleeping nights of the year without contaminating the air in the room.

And, if you had asthma, you’d best move out of town to protect your health.

Today, leaf rakers were making their first attack on the droppings of the oak-hickory forest where we live.

They’ll have to do it every week between now and the first week of December, the last leaf pickup here.

How I long for a return to the way leaves were picked up by Veugelar’s with a vacuum-powered tube and deposited into a truck.

Just rake the leaves to the side of the road. No putting them into containers and bags.

So much more convenient.

Anyone running for Lakewood village board who wants my wholehearted support can promise to re-instate that leaf collection method.


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