Other holidays repose upon the past;
Arbor Day proposes for the future.”

–J. Sterling Morton.

Friday, April 26 is Arbor Day, the most eagerly anticipated (okay, by the owl) holiday of the year. Please mark your calendar for Weston’s Arbor Day Proclamation at 3pm on April 26 at Cherry Brook Field.  You most definitely will want to bring your kids as for the second year, Dennis Maxwell has again offered up Dairy Joy vouchers!

Arbor Day has been celebrated in the US since 1872, and it all began in a state that does not spring to mind as the tree capital of the world. Nebraska resident J. Sterling Morton challenged folks to plant trees and more than one million were planted in the state on that initial Arbor Day. By 1874 it was made an official state holiday in Nebraska and by 1920 it was celebrated by 45 states. Now all 50 states celebrate Arbor Day, because it must be said, none of us are idiots. Okay, I can think of a couple of idiot states but this is not that post.

The Owl has planted all four of her Tree-plenish trees already and may hold herself to those four saplings this year. Over past Arbor Days, this northside spot has enjoyed the arrival of a red maple, a snowbell, a fringe tree, a bur oak, several dogwoods, a Princeton elm, a willow and two tupelos. And probably some others which I don’t want to name because Mr. Owl might catch on to my addiction.

Also, yesterday the Owl dropped off the plaque at Field School for this year’s fifth grade tree–the class of 2031 (!!!). Because I planned badly, I arrived a pick-up time and had to park over at the library. On the bright side, that allowed a little saunter by the first Fifth Grade class tree in Weston– a red oak planted for the Class of 2025, today’s junior class. It is gorgeous and growing and happy there right next to the class of 2026’s redbud. It’s almost time for me to entice an Owlet out to take a photo with the class tree– a before and after. The Class of 2031’s tree will be planted later this week near Case House in a school-only ceremony. Go ‘cats!

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“Until you dig a hole, you plant a tree, you water it and make it survive, you haven’t done a thing. You are just talking.”

― Wangari Maathai