Trees

Today was full in the lives of women I know. My best friend from high school's sister got married, a wonderful mother brought a new baby into her family, and a sweet friend's mother passed away.

Today, we bought trees. Our neighborhood is full of beautiful, big trees. Most of the streets are lined with them. Our block seems to have missed the memo. We feel an obligation to do what we can to carry on the tree-lined theme, and being that we are on a corner not, we have lots of space calling for a trees to make their home there. After a lot of research and looking at pictures, we decided that the trees that will line our little portion of the hood will be Chinese Pistaches. They will be here on Tuesday. We will plant them in the fall.

A row of Chinese Pistache trees.

There is a large tree in our backyard. I had no idea what it was until two hours ago. I matched it's leaf pattern to one on-line and found that it is an American Elm. It has thus far survived the ravages of Dutch Elm Disease, and it is the same kind of tree as the Survivor Tree at the Oklahoma City National Memorial. I like that. We're still looking for the perfect tree for our front yard. I thought I really wanted a Weeping Willow. It's not totally out, but I've lately been looking at and leaning towards a Washington Hawthorn. (And I still haven't ruled out a Redbud either, Oklahoma's state tree.)

Survivor Tree

All of this tree talk has made me think of Hootie and the Blowfish and their song "Not Even the Trees," which can be summarized as a mother's passing at the birth of her son and the father's trying to cope. While I've been thinking those words [not even the trees], I've been feeling them to "Let Her Cry" by the same group and on the same album [Cracked Rear View]. (Seriously awesome album name.)

Sometimes I wish certain things could last forever - like the sweet melancholy of my favorite music from the 90's. Or that every day, all the time, head over heels, swoony, just married feeling. Or newborn babies. Or in-person mother-daughter relationships. Or the night I sat freezing in the back of the afore mentioned little sister's truck with the afore mentioned best friend star gazing. This is some of the best stuff in life. But there are always other things, things that are just as good - and better.

For now, I'll just keep thinking about trees. I'd like to spend an evening with everyone I love, separately, lying on quilts underneath softly rustling leaves talking about the simple things that make our world go round.

A random picture from Ravina - the place where I shared one of the best evenings I've ever had under trees with friends.

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