1000 Trees

So I know this may sound a tiny bit on the optimistic side, but we're hoping to obtain and plant 1,000 trees (of all different varieties) this spring. We will have one week to carry out this operation. See, the thing is that we can get them very cheaply from the DNR, but only in bulk. This feels like it could potentially be the very best idea so far ever or quite possibly the craziest idea so far ever. Why is this so often the case?

It's been thrilling to discuss the planting year with the Lostview clan, especially with the snow and ice still all around us. Believe me when I tell you that one furtive glance around at the pale bleak sky, and the pale cold ground and the stark skeleton trees makes a person wonder whether anything will ever sprout or stretch toward the sun or turn a million shades of vibrant green ever, ever again. But even getting our garden ideas down on paper is hopeful. Tomatoes and beets and carrots and broccoli and honeysuckle and sunflowers and ... oh my! I do appreciate the seasons around here, if only because I look forward to the winter rest after a full summer of harvesting and preserving and to the summer life after the long hibernation.

I've been forgetting to mention that I've been volunteering in Jay's classroom, helping the kids with their writing on Fridays (and bringing in donuts for the teachers). I've loved hearing their stories, and have developed a real appreciation for what Jay does. It's clear how much respect and affection the kids have for him. So far some of my favorite stories have involved people who are an inch tall and crawl out a window via a slide projector to freedom on the outside, a 6th grade girl who gets dragged into the world of wimpy sumo wrestling and myriad fantasies about fairies whose dresses turn white when they're awake and purple when they're asleep. All I wrote about when I was in 6th grade was horses! (There are a few of those in Jay's classes too, by the way.) At any rate, I'm having a great time.

Speaking of great times, Jay and I went to Native Bay for our anniversary - this is a place out in the middle of nowhere (county road S to be exact) and pretty much embraces the Higgins philosophy, using local organic meats and veggies in their meals. Yum! Thelonious didn't even complain when I had a few bites of the organic bison tenderloin. Bison! Can you beat that!?

So on Sunday night, I woke up with a rapidly spreading swelling in my neck and having trouble breathing, which gave Jay and I our first opportunity to visit the nearest emergency room - in Bloomer. As it turns out, I had a weird respiratory virus (Jay thinks I contracted it from the petrie dish also known as his classroom). At any rate, I ended up being fine, and Jay and I got to hang out on Monday together, since we'd spent several hours overnight in the hospital. Never a dull moment around here, people!

Thelonious is fine as far as I can tell. He's definitely hanging out over my belt a little farther every day. Yikes!

I hope you all are well - nice to hear from so many of you lately. It's been weird to have Chris and Becca and Ellis gone for so long this time around, but they'll be back tomorrow. The house is too quiet! We need a laughing baby to perk things up!

Love and organic parsley risotto (much better than it sounds),

Charis