There is something irresistible about a huge pile of leaves which, like a magnet, draws kids and dogs toward it. As I was walking home from Council Point Park this morning, I heard the squeals and giggles of little children and a dog barking, who was no doubt caught up in their exuberance. I swiveled my head toward them. I presume it was their father nearby who was raking leaves into huge mounds around the front yard. I watched as I neared the house as each mound of leaves was plunged into headfirst by the girl, followed by the boy and then the dog on their tail. The leaves were scattered everywhere and there was much mirth and merriment as the trio moved along to the next pile. The kids laughed with sheer joy as the leaves tickled their noses and clung to their towheads. I was thinking it would be a beautiful picture … the two fair-haired children, their golden retriever and an abundance of burnt orange, bright yellow and crimson red leaves. The dad good-naturedly gathered up the leaves and heaped them up for the next hop, step and jump or flying leap. Their enthusiasm was infectious and I smiled as I walked past them. I remembered a very cute video I saw of a husky frolicking in the leaves that I had tucked away for the Fall. This dog is having so much fun, you just want to join him in that big ol’ leaf pile. You cannot help but grin at his antics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xEX-48RHCY

I think that adults view the color change and leaves dropping from the trees and littering the lawn as a definite sign that Winter is on the way and rounding up the leaves is merely another chore out in the yard to get done. Kids look at the falling leaves more optimistically – a chance to play in them and soon flurries and flakes will collect enabling them to build snowmen, snow forts, hurl snowballs and if they’re really lucky … there will be days off from school. Ahh, sometimes to be a kid again. To me it is a little sad to bag up the leaves, thus signifying the end of Autumn as we Michiganders will have many more months to wait until we can once again become leaf peepers, albeit the green, unfurling variety as we welcome Spring.