As a kid growing up in Philly in the 50's, the smell of burning leaves was a sure sign of fall. The wonderful big trees that lined the street where I lives provided lots of fun for we kids - especially after the adults raked them all into neat piles along the curb. We always managed to get one or two romps through the piles before someone's dad endedd our fun by setting the piles afire.These days I don't have a tree big enough to drop a small pile of leaves, let alone enough to provide foot shuffling, leaf tossing event. I've even considered importing leaves from some town's pickup event just to do some serious shuffling through the leaves.
I remember folKs bagging the leaves up and the Sanitation Dept picking up the bags. The trees are starting to look so pretty with the fall colors.
I guess this is how old I am! There were no black trash bags to put the leaves in...didn't exist! I grew up in the midwest (IN and IL) and jumping into the leaf piles was one of my all time favorite activities! I did love the smell of burning leaves!
Yes, I too remember the raking and burning of leaves in the Fall. We rarely would bag them, it would take forever and way too many bags! This was in PA.
First we would get a gang of kids together to help rake with the promise of some fun jumping into the piles and eventually the burning; of course supervised by the adults.
Later on in our city they came around with a vacuum type system to pick up the piles at the curb.
Just the other day, while out driving, I smelled the buring of something, not sure if it was leaves, weeds or POT? This was in FL.
I remember burning leaves, a part of the smells of Fall. The other sure sign was that a local candy store (the fancy kind) started making Carmel Apples, huge MacIntosh on a stick and quadruple dipped.
Unfortunately my nieces are past the age when I can tempt them to rake with the promise of jumping into a hug pile of leaves. Remembering their joy at jumping, and their begging to be buried in leaves, I also think of the huge piles I use to make for my son. Always raked them around one end of the picnic table so that he could climb up and really jump.
I remember that so well. It was kinda like clearing the gardenspace and burning brush in the spring! A real family afair!
Speaking of burning brush; once my dad was clearing some brush and burning it. We kids were all closely watching and some of us got a rash! Turned out to be poison ivy, oak or sumac that was being burned. Itchy!!!
Yes. I lived in Minneapolis, MN, 50s. We did not have bags. We burned the leaves; the pungent aroma signaled fall. We also burned trash; the garbage came by weekly to empty the trash barrel. I appreciate the good of EPA, but oh what we sacrificed for clean air!
Yup....but....the last time I tried it I ended up with a police cruser. 3 fire engines and a rescue unit in my yard...very embarassing...
posted by GDavid
over 2 years ago
My ex-husband guessed one evening since it was getting dark he could burn tires and some branches ...NOT ....a fire station branch was just down the road from our home.......got you.......they had him put it out.....embarassing here also GDavid. Imagine the black smoke from tires. yipes.
Haven't tried burning leaves or branches for a long time....pack up small amount of fallen branches and give to trash man. He graciously picks them up.........if too much suppose to take to place where they recycle for mulch.
