Springtime Oak Planting

Arnie and Tony planting a Black Oak

I may be the only person happy for the 5.18 inches of rain that found its way to the area this April. The first weekend of the month, friends and I planted 10 oak trees around Blackdog Bog. Part of my obligation when I enrolled the 15.9 acres into the Wetland Reserve Program was to help recreate an “Oak Savannah” – the pre-settlement condition of most of Washtenaw County.

To anyone in the mid-west, the sight of a single oak tree standing strong in the middle of a farmer’s field is no surprise. Before agriculture spread, the habitat was littered with oaks amid a sea of grasses such as Indian, Big Blue Stem, Little Blue Stem, and Switch. Many of the big Oaks standing today probably were witness to locals headed to garrison with Union troops during the Civil War. Any of these sesquicentennial giants who survive do so only because the barn builders didn’t need the wood!

Sonia affixing fencing around one of the new trees

The spring rains have helped settle the new trees nicely and already buds are present. Some unknown philosopher once quipped: “Tis an optimist who plants a hardwood.” That is likely true. I guess the gifts of previous generations to the quality of my life warrant my contribution to coming generations; anyone with grandchildren, please direct them to the farm to see if these Oaks cast a long shadow in the year 2070!

Andre watering

Tonight, Howard was home and receiving uninvited visitors. His gait, while not quite a lilt, was strong and his voice welcoming: “It’s good to see you Peter.”

He detailed how his surgeon (whom Howard described as looking like a high school student) let him know that new techniques would allow them to place stents where a scant six months prior was deemed impossible. The medico spoke with earnest confidence and Howard was convinced – well, after asking the surgeon’s age.

Surgery was scheduled for Wednesday, April 17. That morning, the nurse told Howard (who was admitted the evening prior) that he couldn’t have breakfast and would be in the operating room soon. “The hell I will,” he reported as his response. “I don’t feel up to any operations today – maybe tomorrow.” I’m pretty sure that they have his name on the “pain in the ass” list at his hospital.

And, indeed, Howard alerted the medical staff that he was willing to have the procedure on Thursday. As he described the procedure (“They put you in LaLa land – not quite out, but not quite there”) he remembers his personal Doogie Howser exclaim, “Perfect! That’s what I wanted.” A heartening commentary to hear during surgery for sure.

He had additional descriptions of the balance of his hospital stay (including telling a nurse that was reattaching the heart monitor to his chest, “Be careful. I’m a sex maniac.”). What was best was that he had descriptions and some hearty animation. He did acknowledge that he was in a down mood (“I’m 87 and not going to ever feel like I used to.”) the previous week, but he did discuss the future.

This has been a very nice evening.