Fall is my favorite time of year, with its crisp air and beautiful leaf colors. It’s a wonderful time to take a walk through the woods, until you come home and discover all the leaves have followed you. I now realize my maple trees have lost their appeal and made work for me.

I guess I am lucky most of my leaves fall at once, unlike my friends who have trees that think holding onto their leaves will keep them warm!

If you want to become one with nature and enjoy a quiet fall day, just grab your rake. Having the correct rake will make your job a little easier.

Choose one with an ergonomic handle with large, no-clog tines to reduce stress on your body.

Another benefit to raking is having your grandkids around, jumping in the piles, for great photo opportunities. Raking leaves from your lawn is important as thick layers block out sunlight and air circulation needed for grass health.

Another method is to use a leaf blower — the leaves always blow back at me — or humming “the wheels on the bus go round and round” as you drive your lawn mower in circles to create a pile. A few mower methods may include having a mulching blade that shred leaves into tiny pieces, which settle into the lawn and decompose into an organic mulch.

Many have bags that collect your leaves; just be ready to keep emptying the bags.

For hard-to-reach places, a yard vac (leaf blower/vacuum) sucks leaves into an attached bag.

Now that you have your leaf pile, you need to decide what to do with it. I use the tarp method with the help of my dog, Tucker, who thinks it’s his job to lay on said tarp to keep it from blowing away. I then place the gathered leaves in my compost pile.

Many communities have pick-up available when your pile is at the curb.

Don’t forget your roof as leaves can cause it to deteriorate prematurely. Clogged gutters and downspouts can cause damage to your siding and foundation. There are many types of gutter guards, so you need to research what type might work best for you.

Remember to wear safety equipment when doing any of your yard work and working with dried leaves makes the job easier.

Also making your leaf removal divided into several jobs is faster in the long run as things won’t get clogged or heavy.

I guess my favorite time of year comes with a lot of work, but it’s worth it.

I also keep telling myself it’s excellent exercise!