Nutty

Looking at our driveway leaves little doubt about the season. We aren't covered with beautiful fallen leaves. Instead our driveway, walkways, and yard are littered with thousands of hickory nuts. It often sounds like rocks being flung at our roof in a constant stream as the nuts fall from the trees. 

I hate hickory nut season. Each October our home becomes a hazardous zone as we shield ourselves from falling nuts and try to tiptoe around those that are already on the ground. If you haven't before seen a hickory nut, they are about the size of a golf ball but they are housed inside an outer hull that is the size of a baseball. In other words, they hurt when they fall on you!

Timmy has been delighted by the nut explosion. He spends hours each day collecting nuts in his little wheelbarrow as a treat for the squirrels. He delights each morning when he discovered that his wheelbarrow is filled with nut dust and remnants from the squirrels enjoying his easy-to-find buffet. I'm sure that our long-tailed furry friends appreciate his efforts.

Despite spending hours picking up nuts, Timmy barely makes a dent in our supply. We are constantly sweeping and blowing the nuts off of our walkway and driveway. I'm not comfortable, nor am I safe, trying to navigate through the nutty obstacle course. If I step on a nut my foot can easily slip out from under me, leading to a fall. I fell on a nut a few years ago and it is an experience I do not want to repeat.