When we arrived in Canada back in the middle of Winter, all the trees were bare. It was wonderful to witness the leaves gradually appear as Spring arrived, come into full bloom and turn the barren looking streets into beautiful leafy green avenues. Throughout the Summer, the trees provided shade and beauty. As the Fall approached, the leaves gradually turned from green to the most amazing oranges and reds and golds.

Now however, the party is over, and the last of the leaves have dropped from the trees, making it abundantly obvious why Autumn in Canada is called Fall.

But what do you DO with all those millions of leaves?

It seems the strategy is to rake all your leaves into the gutters along the edge of the sidewalk... and then just wait. Eventually, a truck with a huge vacuum hose on the front turns up. (Sean calls it Mr Snuffaluffagus, after the elephant on Sesame Street). This huge vacuum truck drives around all the streets sucking up the piles of leaves and making them look neat and tidy again.

Until next year.