The trees are bare in my zip code, except for one maple in my neighbor's yard. He's been waiting for a month to tend to them. They've been reluctant -- no, rebellious about letting go until it's too cold to rake, and the village no longer picks up leaf bags. Yup, this is one stubborn maple, and here's the first leaf to fall from it. I picked it up while walking my dog today. Adamant, I say!