Tree Hugger

I'm not a tree hugger.
But I do hug trees.
I love them.
I could ramble on and on about all the benefits from trees...
but you already know all of those things.


Why do I get so attached to trees?


Its the strangest thing.
My parents say it started when I was little.


I begged my dad to plant apple trees...
which he did, because he is a gardner and lover of trees and plants.
I also got a cherry tree.  She was a beauty. 
Unfortunately, she had a date with a lightning bolt.

My two apple trees.

This fall I'll share with you all of the wonderful items we bake!

Monkey with his Grandpa.

Standing in front of the tree that was planted when he was born.

We take a picture every year...

Can't wait to see how big Monkey and the tree are this summer!

I have two trees on my property that I am seriously attached too.

One, is an evergreen that sits outside of our large dining room window.

Two cardinals live in the tree all year round.

When Monkey was a baby, we sat his bassinet in front of the window...

I am telling you-- the cardinals would sit in the tree and look in on him.

Really.

The second tree I'm attached to lives in our backyard. 

She is huge.

And a great beauty.

I find comfort and peace when I look at her.

She provides shade for our whole yard...

...but she doesn't shade the garden.

How does she know that I don't want shade in the garden?

I have been watching this tree for the past 9 years...

...she has doubled in size....reaching way into the sky.

She is a home for bats (don't be afraid), several birds, and several squirrel families.

I need to stop going on about her...

I will take pictures of these two trees when the weather is nicer...

...and properly introduce you to the two ladies.

See how she doesn't shade the garden?

I've said good-bye to my fair share of trees, and I am always upset about having to do so.
We lost a tree on our property a year and a half ago when a little tornado ripped down our street.
All houses were spared.  Only trees were lost.  Isn't that amazing?
I was thankful for the houses being spared, but of course, sad about the trees.

My parents lost a tree yesterday in the ice storm. 
A beautiful tree in their front yard. 
A tree that was planted 13 years ago to replace another tree that didn't survive a storm.
(yes, we have real weather in Iowa) 


Their tree split right down the middle and them peeled off in 4 parts.
Monkey found out, and he cried. 
He was bound and determined that he, Daddy and his Grandpa could save it.
He got the glue and tape and his hammer out. 


Sweet boy.
I was so pleased...
... not that he was upset.  (Don't send me any hate mail)
But that he felt a deep connection with a tree and nature.

~Amy

PS - It is a day about trees.  On the children's tv show, "Big, Big World"  they discussed the importance of trees.
And the beautiful and hilarious, Annie at The House That Jade Built, discussed her new found love of trees today.  Go check it out!

Also, one of my dearest friends, Shannon, (since we were babies) is saving trees in Charlotte, NC.  If you're in the area, check this out. 
Wonder if our love of trees is from all the hours we spent climbing trees when we were little???