Mike's Tree

I sometimes feel like I am planting trees under whose shade I may never sit.  That's a part of growing old.  It's a part of understanding the uncertainty of our days.  It's a gifting for the future.  I think of my children and grandchildren when I plant a tree.  Our long term goal is to leave a substitute "lake house" for them.  (Our children will understand the allusion.)

But digging holes here on the mountain is always a challenge.  A hole like the one to the left can easily take an hour or more.  There are stones which have wedged in together sideways and any other way the water table may move them. There is a prying, and leverage, a heavy lifting at times that almost defies understanding, at least for those of us less used to this loamy type of soil.

Today I planted two trees.  We usually wait until Martin's Landscaping has their end of the season "Buy One Get One Half Off" sale and pick up two.  We also have taken to planting trees in memory of departed loved ones, friends, and/or neighbors.  

This hole belongs to a Crimson King Maple, that wonderfully shaped, deep purple leafed kind. (And "no" it was not named after the rock group King Crimson for you twisted musicians.) This particular specimen has lost most of its leaves at this point in the season, but it will remind me of one at the end of 3450th Rd, Waltham, IL on a lot owned by Charles Hagenbuch, a lot I always wanted to own and build a home on.  And it will be a reminder of a beloved family and congregation.

But there is also the occasional surprise in digging these holes (as I also have previously reported).  This time there was a stone that barely showed above the ground.  It was only slightly raised above the surface so I never dug it up.  The mower passed over it with inches to spare on clearance. And it was only 10 inches or so in diameter, or so...BUT...

After three hours of digging and prying, and sliding, I managed to get this multiple hundreds of pounds stone out of the ground, proving yet again, that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!" There were two pieces of motivation for me in this endeavor. 1. I'm stubborn and stupid. And 2. This tree's placement was important.  This was where the Scarlet Oak was going for Mike.  My "neighbor Mike" (as my grandson referred to him) recently passed and his friendship needed to be recognized.  He was a man of few words, one who largely kept to himself, but a man's man, the kind of man that normal men like.  And his dad used to own the piece of ground on which we live. So, MIKE GETS A TREE!  It will look onto his property.  His horses will graze in the background. And, hopefully, it will be a reminder and an encouragement to his wife, Carol, his sister Sue, and his children as they turn up the hill to the house.  Here's to you Mike - Soli Deo Gloria!