The word around town has been the same about this year's winter weather during upstate New York’s fall season. Homeowners across the state are running out, grabbing their leaf bags in hope to clean up the yard before the next snowfall.

"They're calling for a mild winter and man, I sure hope so,” said Angel Faro, of Utica.

"I think positive — we have six, seven more months before summer,” said Eileen Angelico, about the snowy leaves she was cleaning up Sunday morning.

Angelico, a longtime Utica resident, says each year with the plethora of leaves, the fall cleanup never gets easier — this year especially with the snow.

"It's a little heavier this year, because of the snow,” said Angelico. “I came out, did half of it and I had to go back in and have some coffee."

This effort to beat the snow was seen neighbor to neighbor, each with their own tactic.

"You do it because it is the right thing to do, you can't just leave your leaves,” said Rod Baker of Utica. “This isn't the middle of the woods.”

Baker says usually by this time of year, he would get a few warm days to get a head start on the Christmas decorations, but this year the winter-like weather has put him behind.

"But it’s Upstate New York, if you don't like it then leave or stay and make sure you do your chores,” chuckled Angelico about these brutal upstate temperatures.