We’ve had heavy rains all weekend and now are experiencing a fair bit of wind. While it was cold and unpleasant outside today, this weather has actually helped the leaves to fall a little bit more quickly. It’s nicer to deal with all the leaves all at once, as upposed to raking daily for a month!

Our neighborhood is described as of historical interest, but the only thing the city recommends protecting are the trees and shade. The neighborhood is built on a terraced slope down to a river below. All of the houses would have a better view of the river, if not for the trees. From my windows, backyard and porch, I have a lovely river view, but only from November to May, when the leaves are gone.

The trees that cover my view are Norway Maples. These are not the 10 native maple trees of Canada. Norway Maples were introduced to Canada in the 1700s. They grow quickly and produce dense shade. While it might be nice to plant trees in a sparse area to quickly produce growth and shade, these trees actually crowd out native species of trees, with their shade, shallow root systems, and their ability to seed and reproduce easily. Trees Canada recommends cutting the trees down and applying a herbicide to eliminate the trees. https://treecanada.ca/resources/tree-killers/#s3

Still I am blessed with 3 of these trees, which provide full shade to my yard, but are unfortunately on the property line and shade my neighbour’s house. So in the spring, we will have these trees professionally trimmed, but we will endure them for a while still. In the meantime, I am excited to see the river soon.