When the children’s mother came to pick them up yesterday she smiled and said “What did you do today?” Expecting a blather of talk about the new pup. “We planted trees” they called out, running to get their coats and books.
“Look, we will show you!”Racing past they hung their bags off their mother’s fingers and all shot out the door. Stumbling over each other as they stopped to pull on boots.
“What kind of trees?” she said.
“Twisting curly willow trees.” Their voices called back.
Well, I thought, that is interesting.
The puppy was drooled over but the trees were the real excitement of the day.
This is where we are going to be planting the majority of your new trees. In groups along these fence lines.
With pockets of stands in the corners.
But not yet, the willows that the children planted are down by the house. Pat’s willow is viewed from my kitchen window and Eha’s is in the Daily View. The children really taught me something today with their enthusiasm about tree planting. I had underestimated the power of tree planting. This is good, the Fellowship Forest will also be a learning experience for the children.
Good morning. Last night I had to bring the pup inside. You will remember my young animal rule. Neither pups nor kittens set one foot inside until the end of summer when I know for sure that they are absolutely house trained. I can tolerate an awful lot but I will not tolerate messes inside. So the pup has an old wooden workshop drawer, filled with blankets, on a small sheeps-wool mattress, tucked inside an older wooden chest laid on its side with its back to the elements, to give it three high sides and a roof, set up facing into the french doors so he can see inside but not Be inside. It is warm, draft free, weather proof and is so heavy that it is indestructible. Plus it does not look like a dogs house! I will take a picture for you today.
In the night one of these passing storms that have been teasing us let fly with torrential rain driven by a wicked wind. Rain almost never gets this deep into the verandah but there you are. It was flying against the doors and bouncing back into the dogs little house. I got up and Blue was sitting stoically on the pillow in the highest corner of his box as it steadily filled with water. Getting drenched, I shook the box out, filled it with a dry blanket and popped it just inside the kitchen door. I toddler-proofed the room (everything went up) as he laid back down, sighed and went to sleep. John took him for a walk at 4 am then made his outside bed back up. John gets up for work at 4 so he does the first toileting walks. No messes. Phew.
We had almost 2 inches of rain in under an hour. A goodly amount of water. And if it did not knock our tiny seedling pastures right out of the ground then we will get fantastic growth once it warms up. We have a few cool days ahead of us still. This rain will have settled our trees into the ground too.
It is 5.45 and still dark, the clouds must be heavy. Nevertheless it is milking time.
Have a lovely day.
celi
PS On this day a year ago. Actually this is tomorrow a year ago but the green is so beautiful even though there was a frost, I cannot wait until tomorrow to show you. We were so lush a year ago.
The Kitchen's Garden 
48 responses to ““We planted a tree!” they called out.”
Love the puppy tree inspector – great captures:) Happy Day on the Farmy!
I love how they loved planting the trees! What a joy! Our storm should be upon you today!
I hope it is just rain…earth quenching rain!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
You’re such a darling letting that poor pup inside during that raging storm. We’re getting it begining today – freezing rain and more snow!
I’ll never get the spring garden in!!
At least we are not getting snow.. horrors! c
Cinders, I am probably too late to be added to the Friendship Forest but if not, I would love to be part of it….and I would love to pay for my tree, to help out. You know the saying ….the best time to plant a tree, is now! I hope the children are still there when the trees mature, so they can again marvel at the wonder of them!
Little Boy Blue, waiting so patiently in the rain for you….he knew you would come to rescue him! 🙂
I would LOVE to have your name on a tree Chris, i hope to start stalking the nurseries later this week and see what is around! c
LOVE tree planting! I’ve planted thousands over the years, leading volunteer planting projects and running a tree nursery. One of my volunteers used to say he felt like a cosmic midwife for Gaia when we watched the first tiny green leaves of oak seedlings unfurl. Knowing that we’d gathered the seeds, grown them on and planted them out – they will live our lifetimes many times over. Wonderful!
Gorgeous post, Celi. I’m sorry I’ve been missing them – for some reason, WP changed my reader settings, so I stopped getting email notifications! Going back now to read about the pup!
We shouldn’t be surprised the kids “dig” planting trees but we are because we forget that in this world many have been removed from simple things we took for granted. It reminds me of the wonder of the G.O.’s grandkids seeing oranges on our tree and delight picking them, and tomatoes on the neighbour’s vines – we were surprised but then thought about their lives where everything comes from the shop. I love giving plants to kids as gifts – lambs ears are always popular 🙂
!0 years from now, the farmy will have a completely new look, ringed by trees. How great will that be! I wonder what birds will be drawn to you? Poor Blue! This dam-p cold weather isn’t good for anything but ducks — and even they don’t look too happy about it. My kitchen is still baby-proofed from when Max came along. I latched all of the cupboard doors the day he found where I keep the flour. Though I caught him in time and he has definitely outgrown that stage, I can’t bring myself to remove them. What if …
Love that picture with the tree and the barn.
Glad the kids helped plant – hope they will plant more throughout their lives -kid tend to adopt ideas that they see are important to adults they admire – and I’m sure they adore being with your and the farmy.
Had to laugh over your description of Blue’s home – I was always creating what my teen call kitty condos ( for neighborhood strays in severe weather) and dry spots for the dogs outdoors – if they can see in they are so much happier!
Blue knew you would come save him, so he wasn’t frantic. (We had a big rain last night, too.)
Enjoy the day and have some fun for us!
Tree planting is such a generative activity – for everyone! I can still remember tree planting as a child. At my bach there is a tall totara lifting its head into the sky. My husband and I planted it when it was a tiny seedling, 6 inches high. Tree planting is to be present at a miracle.
I’ve done my daily Blue drool… would love to be added to the end of your forest queue, but have no idea how to get money to you to pay for it… haven’;t mastered internet payments yet
I shall pop a lovely tree in for you valerie, I find trees and grow trees and there is a lovely wee nursery in someones back yard I have heard of, so no need for money. A glass of wine in 2014 will be just fine! It may take me a while but i am determined to plant a forest of trees..all named! c
Oh thank you celi – now we’re talking – a glass of wine sounds perfect…nearer the time you can specify red or white, pinot gris or noir, viognier, chardonnal, gewurztraminer, merlot or whatever!!!!!
you know, I long for a lovely pinot gris!… c
Done ! My drink of choice too… apart from Gewurtz…
We will have nothing but the best, and I’ll ask my wine buff friend to make sure!!!!. days of wine and roses…..
I always find it so interesting what ends up sticking with kids the most. We often plan a lot of fun things for a day and what we think will be the kids’ highlight, is usually replaced with something we didn’t expect. Much like the trees vs. the puppy. Too cute. 🙂
Wonderful, really made me smile reading this. I saw my niece and nephew last night and they have issues (autism) and we get so little reaction from them about anything that it makes me weep, so seeing reactions like this from excited children is heartwarming. Thank you 🙂
TonTon has illustrated to is that jealousy is not only a human trait, and neither is sibling rivalry.
Those children are learning so much! What a delight that tree-planting was first on their list. But then, they are surrounded by quite a few animals throughout the day.