i think this makes us tree huggers...

The past two weeks, my fieldcraft class had the pleasure of doing a little community service for the LLL*. Our job was to plant native species of trees in designated areas all over the site. Now I've used a shovel before, but I've certainly never planted a real tree ---- I was right in guessing that it would be an interesting first experience.

Within minutes of beginning planting, I could already tell that the day might be a battle of the sexes. For starters, the learning tree --- the one the class all helped to bury, was actually planted by all of the men in the class.  As it is at a cocktail party, the women congregated off to one side, and the men to another (in this case: the side where dirt was being hardily shoveled). But the women-sitting-around-chatting while the men showed off their testosterone with fire-rakes and shovels was quickly dissolved.  We split off into groups, and it was every student for themselves after that.

My tree planting group was the self-named, "Girls Team" and we were a pretty efficient bunch of diggers and buriers.  Our mascot, Nic, tilled up the soil for us, we dug in, he tilled a little more, we dug again, fit the tree in, covered it up, made a dirt halo surrounding it, and then watered the hell out of our new Hack or Soapberry tree.  We were a pretty mean group of tree planters for a Girls Team.. and Nic. Our efficiency, however, would not have been possible without sarcasm, "That's What She Said" jokes, and Nic's angelic serenading abilities for fuel.  We worked hard and played hard.

On another note, I would just like to say how much I enjoyed one of our professor's reasons for why we should be enthusiastic about planting trees for the LLL.  She brought up the point that one day many years from now we could come back with our children and show them the trees we planted.  I like this idea.  Mainly because I kind of like the sound of having a family and raising children in this area.  Planting the trees was almost symbolic in a way of getting used to the idea of raising a family here ---- I like the idea of putting roots into the soil of west Texas... of planting myself here and growing.  I wouldn't mind coming back to the LLL one day to introduce my family to where my roots were first planted.

** LLL - Lubbock Lake Landmark