Generations of Joy Under the Maples

I live next door to these beautiful maple trees, and I’ve enjoyed watching them change with the seasons for many years. My in-laws, Jane and Marshall, originally planted the trees in their backyard, and we spent many wonderful times under them as my children grew up.

Years ago, Jane and Marshall moved next door to my husband’s grandparents’ former home, and my daughter, Jaimie, and her family bought their house. Now, my grandchildren get to play under those same maple trees, creating new memories in the same place where my kids once played. But with beautiful fall colors come the crispy fall leaves.

With the beautiful fall colors come those crispy fall leaves! I’ve watched my father-in-law and husband rake them up season after season, only to mow over them later. Recently, two of our grandchildren were looking for something to do, so my husband handed them rakes, and away they went. Naturally, they had to make big piles for jumping in, with their dog Cooper joining the fun by lounging in the leaves. Did they manage to rake them all? Nope! But it didn’t matter. What’s important is they had fun raking up piles of leaves to put on a tarp and haul down to the woods. And I got to capture even more photos to remember it all.