I am thankful for the trees in my yard.
The other day Wally was visiting and we were taking a Second Look around the yard as he likes to do. When we saw one of the walnut trees, he commented how much fun that he and Theo and their friends used to have with it. The game was to throw a stick up into the tree and the person who knocked down the most nuts won. That made me smile because of the pure simplicity of it. Then we saw the old tree house and remembered all that used to happened up there from battles various kinds to picnics to doing homework. On the way back to the house, we passed by where Theo's tree used to be.* When Theo was a kid, this was his hiding tree because the leaves were so thick that he couldn't be seen from the ground. If we couldn't find him, he was usually up in this tree. Then there were the maple trees and the oak trees and the piles of leaves they made to jump in. Of course, Wally also remembered the stick pick up before mowing, the leaf raking even when they didn't want a pile, and the hauling of the pruned branches. Those things were not quite as fun as knocking down walnuts, but were an important memory also. This was one of the ways he and Theo learned about the value of hard work.
I feel fortunate to live in a place that had trees for Wally and Theo to experience while they were growing up. And for that I am thankful.
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*A few years ago, a sapsucker killed Theo's tree and we had to have it taken down.
Here's a poem Theo wrote about his tree when he was nine.
My Climbing Tree
Up in my tree,
I'm as happy as can be,
Without a care or a worry.
With leaves everywhere,
Twigs and branches in the air,
Up here, there is no hurry.
With wind on my face,
And astounding grace,
Up my tree I scurry.
Aww. What a nice poem. What a simple sweet game too, with the walnuts.
ReplyDeleteWe had a walnut tree in our backyard when I was growing up but we didn't play this game. We worried about a walnut dropping on our head because they were so hard that they would hurt. I didn't ask Wally if they tried to run out of the way after they threw the stick.
DeleteThis was a very sweet post. I love that the trees in your yard are integral to your kids childhood memories. Loved the poem also!
ReplyDeleteSometimes with all of the extra work trees require (yet another big branch down to process), I wish there weren't so many. But then there are times like this when I happy to have every one of them.
DeleteWhat great memories I'm sure your boys will always remember them too. Yes, trees do provide both fun and work but it's worth it when you have the shade and the animals around that wouldn't be there without them.
ReplyDeleteWe recently had a cookout in the afternoon and we were very thankful to have the shade of trees that 90 degree day.
ReplyDeleteWhen you tell stories about the boys next door to you and how much they appreciate your yard, I always think about how lucky we are.