Rain and cool temperatures throughout August have had an incredible impact on the local landscape. Green yards, green fields and flourishing gardens are predominant, making the neighbourhood appear more like a scene from June than the first of September. Absent this year is the familiar sound and feel of stepping on crunchy dry grass and weeds. The storms that have rolled through the valley have also had an incredible impact on the local landscape. Heavy downpours have left trenches on several driveways all along the lake. Fierce wind gusts uprooted and snapped off aspen and spruce trees, both dead and alive prior to the breeze. Once the open burning ban is removed, residents can get on with the chore of cleaning up branches and trees that litter so many properties as well as the annual fall chore of raking fallen leaves, already showing distinct signs of their early autumn colours.