and after work came a 25 foot oak tree. Trundling down the road laid out in the back of Our Johns truck. An hours drive with a big beautiful tree trailing out behind him.
It was in the way of the new pipes pathway at the site and the council men were going to yank it out and chip it so John said: That’s a nice young oak tree, yank it out and put it in the back of my truck. 
So they did. It is feeling a bit sad but hopefully will come right.
Now, that is going to be a mighty big hole to dig. 
Thankfully this is not my department.
Once we had the tree out of the truck and covered in wet straw and wet burlap bags and tucked up in a tarp so it did not lose anymore soil, it began to rain. Pour actually. Hard. Of course. 
Alissa and her cat Loki have arrived and are ensconced in the coop. She has set her hammock up in the sleeping porch and I think we are all going to work very well together. Her cat is her constant companion and will live in the coop like a city cat in the country.
Today we will be weeding the lambs-quarters garden. With all this rain they are going to be my best crop!
I hope you all have a lovely day.
Love celi
The weather: I don’t want to talk about the weather anymore.
Friday 06/30 80% / 0.21 in
Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. High 83F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Friday Night 06/30 30% / 0.02 in
Isolated thunderstorms during the evening, then partly cloudy overnight. Low 66F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
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The Kitchen's Garden 
38 responses to “Down the road”
I can’t say it any better than Mame19. Welcome to all 3 living creatures !
You collect al sorts of strays. Thanks so much for saving that tree! An oak – shouldn’t disturb those ancient ones. (We are really a swamp this year with all the rain…can’t complain, but when the sun comes out, we all peer out with squinty mole eyes)
Best of luck with tree and Wai. Maybe plant it by a nurse tree to help it settle in? Good work hauling it home John, and welcome to your new recruits. What do the farm cats think of city cats? Fingers crossed for growth and harmony.
Love this! Years upon years ago, when our girls were 3 and 6, they gave their Daddy a Norwegian pine for Father’s Day. There were the requisite Father’s Day photos of the girls being bigger than the tree, then the tree being bigger than the girls. The time came for a new garage and the tree had to go. My dearly beloved had the tree dug up and then replanted elsewhere – to the tune of hundreds of dollars! He watered it and tended it and more photos were taken until we moved. The tree is still there, a new young family the next caretakers. Ah . . . I do ramble. Well done, John . Have a good day. Thunderstorms coming this way as well.
Sometimes I think the weather is vindictive. John will find a window of good weather to plant that tree and it will probably guarantee a 3 week dry spell.
Welcome to all 3 newbies 🙂 Laura
A young woman and her cat. That is the way to travel! I do hope we get a picture of Loki lounging in the Coop. Good luck with the tree. You’re right, that will be a large hole.
Loki is very shy.. c
Guess if I’d been dragged for many, many miles in the back of a truck with my ‘hair’ scraping the ground, I’d be in a bit of a state too! But, with the love and care that abounds there, that oak is sure to flourish, just as Wai has been. You’re a lucky woman, Ceci! Not ever husband comes home with an oak tree as a gift! Welcome to Alissa and Loki! Have fun, all of you! Thanks, John!
As Deb said above, oaks are said to be very fussy creatures about being moved. But I was told that and successfully moved (from dangerously close to buildings and/or the property line) and nursed a number of little saplings in our previous yard and they were thriving happily when we sold the house—to a biologist. Far better to try than not! What a catch…well, what catches (the tree and, of course, your John)!!! The pouring rain is exactly what the tree needs right now. Keeping it well soaked until planting will give it its best chance.
So delighted at the arrival of Alissa and Loki. May they, and you, enjoy a grand collaboration!
xo,
K
John has successfully done this with other oak trees too but never one this big . But Let’s not look at the negatives before we give the positives a try – we will see.. c
It’s been a long morning getting ready for company. I should have come here first thing because I laughed out loud twice. First when your John told them to put the tree in the back of his truck. 🙂 Then again when you said you didn’t want to talk about the weather anymore. That rain was just for that oak tree you know. It will make the ground perfect for putting it in and I’m sure it will reward you both for saving it’s life. You probably need a swimming pool sized hole. 🙂 Good to know you and your new helper will work out well together. That always makes life easier. So now it’s back to work here, chuckling all the way. 🙂 Have a wonderfilled weekend.
I have tried to transplant oaks and have had no luck whatsoever. But, it could be the soil here as it is either clay, or sandy soil, and neither is probably very good for an oak to transplant to. The only oaks we have had luck with were very young sprouts with the acorn still attached, and even then, less than half will survive the transplant. I will send all of the positive vibes I can muster to your oak!
You harvest lambs-quarter? OMGosh… people make fun of us for eating it in these parts. It’s known as a poor man’s spinach, but I truly love it. If picked young, it’s tender and tasty. Well, that just made my day! I don’t feel like such a weirdo now! 😀
Well, imagine how I feel (out of it), never having heard of lamb’s quarters. So I looked it up. And learned a lot. Which I usually do when I visit. So much knowledge of the earth and the old ways is shared here.
Yup – rain, rain…. rain. I’m now in Florida and there’s been a bit of rain. But nothing like when I was at the Pocono mountains and Massachusetts. Seems I picked a good time to move! And now I have to look up ‘Lamb’s quarters’. I’d never heard of them!! : o ) Wishing you the best of luck with the tree!!
So good to see that such a wonderful tree will have another chance to put down roots. Welcome to Alissa and her cat. What a way to travel:)
We love John-the-tree-saver. 💕
Saving a tree is worth giving a shot… bringing one home js also something the G.O. would do. We have a beautiful palm along the driveway testimony to that.
So very cool that both Alissa & Loki are now on board 🐱