Nutty landscaping

If by chance you are thinking of planting a walnut tree in your yard, may I suggest you think twice? Our neighbor has a walnut tree in her front lawn, which sheds branches year round (sometimes quite large branches, they seem to be rather brittle and break a lot) and which rains walnut fruits in the fall. If you are thinking of the little dried walnuts in the store, you don't have the proper picture in your head. This is the still-moist walnut in its casing, altogether heavier than the lightweight nut with which you are familiar. (But it's somewhat padded, to be fair.)

This tree, unfortunately, is enough to this side that it also sheds branches and nuts into our yard. Worse yet, it is far enough forward to make the sidewalk a danger zone, too, especially this time of year. The fruits can make you fall if you step on them, and the chances of being conked are pretty good, if you forget yourself and turn that direction instead of (ahem) jaywalking to get to the other side of the street, which has no walnut tree. I'd also strongly advise against parking in front of that house for a few days yet. (This year's 'harvest' is nearly over, thank goodness.) The sound of a fresh walnut hitting a hood is probably not something you want to hear if it's your hood.

No, I haven't been conked yet. Nor have I fallen. But I figure it's only a matter of time, since I'm in the habit of going that way on most of my errands, and habit is a curiously powerful thing...