Tree Tribute
From "Travels on the American Road with Sean & Vince" by Darby Checketts
The cedar sign is posted on a tree at our Owl's Nest. It lists the names of our beloved tree neighbors to guide our grandchildren and other visitors on a Tour of Trees.
My 2020 book is based on the travel journals of Sean & Vince. Their stories originate in the fictional town of Juniper, named after the Juniper tree. These hearty, evergreen trees grow abundantly throughout Utah’s Sanpete County where my family and I spend much time. In my experience, trees are taken for granted. They are the singularly most useful plants that grow upon the earth. We humans cannot imagine our existence throughout history without them. The trees that live on our small recreational property in Sanpete are mostly Juniper with some Gambel Oak and various Pine trees among them. There are approximately 90 of these and I know each one. Each feature of our family retreat was created around a distinct tree or group of trees. These are extra special to me. Here are their names and functions.
- The Old Oak Patriarchs - Give westerly shade.
- Aperta Armis (Latin) - Embrace the tiny shed.
- Our Christmas Tree - Sits silently at peace.
- Gnarly Roadside Dudes - Comfort the RV with shade.
- The Mother Tree - Gives a lofty platform view of our valley and mountains.
- Loving Grandparent Trees - Bless the family picnic grove.
- Old Man of the Woods - Guards our barn.
- The Scraggly One - Shelters the Bear Cave.
- Cozy Cabin Neighbors - Make a campout sweet.
THANK YOU, FAITHFUL TREES!
Thank you, faithful trees, for the green and colorful character you add to our property…the stability your roots provide the soil beneath you…the canopy of shade you offer us…the firewood your dead branches represent under carefully prescribed conditions…fallen leafy needles that provide a soft and water-proof carpet beneath our feet…oxygen you breath forth each night. And, special thanks to The Mother Tree for holding our “Owl’s Perch” (now "Pirates Roost") aloft among your four perfectly placed branches so our children can play and pretend as they survey our beautiful valley and the nearby mountains. --Darby Checketts
More About Tree Planting and Tree Memorials: Not only do we pay tribute to trees... We must plant them ourselves to help make our environment more beautiful and health-sustaining. Plant trees in your yard. Encourage local parks to add more trees. And, trees are a profound way to remember and pay tribute to those we love. When we (Darby & Sharon) first moved to our current home in Utah, we planted seven beautiful saplings to represent each of our seven children. As another son joined our family, an eighth tree was added to represent him. Each time we enter our backyard, our children are all represented there. Three of our cherished grandchildren have died, but their spiritual presence still blesses us. We recently dedicated three special trees at our family's "Owl's Nest" in the names of PJ, Elaine, and Michael. There is no better physical memorial of them than these three beloved trees now represent.
A Take-Away: Please enjoy our comparison of a tree leaf to a computer chip (below). This is a good "take it to school" conversation starter. Please tell your schoolmates you found this at TheTreeRoost.com.
See the "WoW" of a Tree Leaf compared with a Computer chip.
