photo by Tim Hammill
Before I left Bridgeport, I think the only time I used the word foliage was during a spelling bee. I still don’t use the word. But I sure did hear it a lot while I was in Los Angeles.
Tell someone that you’re from Connecticut, and you’re bound to hear the following questions, “So, how rich are you?”, “You miss the cold weather?”, “Isn’t that where ESPN is?” and lastly and most surprisingly, “How about that foliage?”
Really? Leaves changing colors and falling on the ground is our calling card? I remember one of the first times I heard that, I responded with, “It’s just leaves.”
Now that I’m back, I have to say maybe I underestimated just how beautiful the umm … foliage can be. The leaves are actually a lot nicer than I remember. They’re even nicer when found in someone else’s yard.
This morning I walked outside and noticed that our front yard had been invaded by the leaves of our red maple tree. It looks like we’re hosting a Hollywood style red carpet affair at our house except there are no reporters, no cameras and no celebrities, unless you count my father who is pretty famous among people named Hammill. My celebrity of a father also also just informed me that he’s upset about not being voted “People’s Sexiest Man Alive.” Actor Ryan Reynolds eked out a victory for that honor.
It looks like someone’s got some raking to do. It’s going to be either my father, me or a gust of wind. I’m pulling for the gust of wind to sweep up all of the foliage, f-o-l-i-a-g-e.
Update: After days of hoping for a wind gust, my father and I finally gave in and raked the leaves on Monday.
