The Walnut Tree
We didn’t plant the tree. We didn’t even know it was a walnut tree. We didn’t even know that walnuts grew on big trees.
The tree just started growing on our front lawn about six or seven years ago. It grew fast and one year we noticed some “fruit” on the tree. I was still able to reach the branches and picked the green fruit. It smelled faintly citrus-y but we had no idea what it was.
Our son-in-law is a professor. He teaches and does research on the vascular systems of trees, so I emailed him a picture of the tree, the leaves, and the mystery fruit. The verdict – a black walnut tree.
There were only about 5 or 6 of the little green fruit that year. The next year about 40 or 50, last year 3, and this year 8,986,754.
Walnuts in front of our house.
The tree is about 30 feet tall and since early October, those nuts have been falling the roof of our little bungalow. The first time we heard it, it sounded like a semi had driven into the house. They have continued to fall, sometimes one at a time and sometimes in clusters. The noise is unbelieveable!
Party central.
When a cluster falls from the top of the tree, it hits the roof with a crash and they all roll down the roof like a bunch of teen-agers at the skateboard park.
I’ll be just drifting off when I hear, Boom. Crash. Rumble. It’s flippin’ annoying. But there’s a bright side. Every night, all the squirrels in our neighbourhood now congregate in our yard for a big party.
The opened walnuts on the back step. Wet and soggy!
They take the walnuts to our side entrance and somehow manage to open them on the step. But it is on the picnic table on our back patio where they love to get together and party. You can see by the photo that they manage to open them quite easily.
So, what do we do with the walnuts? We were just about to rake them up when our next-door neighbours came and asked us if they could have them. Seems they want to roast them.
U-pick-it - walnut style.
The ground is a little wet right now, but as soon as it dries up, they’ll be welcome indeed.
A squirrel with walnuts in front of our house.
To tell the truth, I’m going a little nuts right now.
Old Girl New Tricks 
lol…..that is the closest to swearing that I have ever seen from you. ha ha ha Flippiin??? tsk tsk
But a real mess. methinks you’ll have to request this tree be removed…..
Do I ask the tree to move itself??? LOL.
We had a black walnut tree that grew right outside the bedroom I shared with my sister. I remember the walnuts hitting the roof. The squirrels loved that tree and climbed up that tree to our roof where they dug a hole into our attic and ate our vintage barbie dolls that were stored there. We finally had our revenge when a man offered to cut our black walnut tree down for free so he could make beautiful furniture. Might want to see if there are any furniture makers in your area 😉
What a perfect idea!!!
That’s one advantage to living out on the plains … no trees so no leaves (or nuts) to clean up. 🙂
That’s funny, but you’re right. I used to live in Manitoba, and there weren’t many trees!