what a mess!!

we have this gorgeous english walnut tree in the middle of our backyard.

every summer it provides us with wonderful shade so we can sit and enjoy the outside.

however, it also produces a ton of walnuts....

and a real mess.

i have a hunch that most of the squirrels in victoria come to our backyard to feast.

we don't mind providing the nuts... if only they didn't leave behind such a mess.

the squirrels dehusk, crack open, and eat the walnuts on the spot.

every morning, noon and night in the month of august...

 if you were to sit under the tree... you would think it was raining walnut husk. 

since the tree is huge, with its circumference covering most of the yard...

 i  find walnut skeletons everywhere.

i have to rake often... especially when the kids were younger, 
because stepping on the sharp shells is quite hazardous to tender bare feet.

the worst part is...

 the decaying husk leaves a walnut stain on everything.. 
except the deck that needs staining !!!

it truly is a mess...

we've tried harvesting the walnuts

but there are thousands that we can't reach.

the month of august is the month for messy walnuts around here.

when september and october rolls in... be get a bit of a reprieve from all the clean up.

we rest our rakes and wait for mid november... 

this is when the tarry, heavy walnut leaves come down 

delivering another whopper of a mess to clean up.

overall, all this work is worth it for our little garden of we'eden.

erica

xoxo