Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Giving Green With Living Gifts



The mature Japanese maple at the end of our driveway put forth a bumper crop of seedlings this spring. My mother-in-law spotted a sapling of the same variety at a local nursery bearing the price tag of almost $80! Needless to say, I am fluttering over our baby tree sprouts like an overprotective mother hen.

In a few weeks the professor and I plan to pot those tiny seedlings. The boys and I will water them through the long, hot summer. Next spring we'll have maple saplings to give away! 

I'm envisioning teachers' gifts, hostess gifts, birthday gifts, and {perhaps this is a bit unconventional} maybe even wedding and baby gifts... each little tree ready to be planted in a sunny spot in someone's yard. Our costs should be minimal considering we'll only need potting soil, water, pots, and sweat... not a bad deal at all.

In this age of material surplus {do we really need anything more?}, I'm thrilled with the prospect of giving green. And, next spring I'll be excited to distribute my living gifts!