The days of falling leaves are almost over.  A few stragglers remain in the poplar tops and some oaks will keep their rusty decorations till March.  The treetops often hold larger leaves than lower branches and a young Burr oak provided some trophy specimens this year.

Burr oak leaves

The Bluecircle leaf “grand champion” was a 5-year Sycamore that blanketed its lawn on North Watervliet Road with fallen giants.   Many had a span over 12 inches, and some were larger.   It was good that this naturalized area needs no raking – by Spring these enormous remnants of a good tree year will be gone.

Sycamore leaf measures 18 x 16 inches!

One pumpkin vine survived the groundhog chomping in the corn patch and bore a single tiny fruit. Maybe a fairy carriage?

Tiny pumpkin