It is estimated that the average mature oak tree has somewhere between 300,000 and half a million leaves. Crazy! I meant to add that to my notes and I forgot—but, that’s OK, there is plenty more about trees to remember and celebrate. One of my earliest memories is bouncing up and down on my Dad’s shoulders as we hiked through forests—my fondness for trees was planted early. This episode is very Stacy-esque in it’s randomness, but I have experienced over and over again the power of very ordinary things when it comes to recollecting memories for storytelling.

So, the lens we’re using today is trees. 🌲🌳 🌴 I hope you’ll come with me on stroll down memory lane—the one lined with your favorite trees!

Resources

I’ve thought so often during this pandemic of the introduction that Elder Uchtdorf shares here—there is much we can learn from nature (and especially trees) about life and things that matter most.

Trees.
Joyce Kilmer

I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

Bristlecone pine trees located deep in White Mountains of the Inyo Valley in Eastern California are confirmed the oldest—many thousands of years old—and Methusaleh, the oldest of all 4,850—has been protected ever since 1957, so that it can be safely preserved.

The majestic Moreton Bay Fig trees in Treasury Park, downtown Melbourne must be seen to be truly experienced. Of course the most famous version of these trees grow on Kauai and are featured in the movie, Jurassic Park.

Read The Roots of Arbor Day on Mental Floss.

I opened the episode with Let it Grow, from the 2012 animated film, The Lorax.

The Giving Tree is an American children's picture book written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein. First published in 1964 by Harper & Row, it has become one of Silverstein’s best-known titles, and has been translated into numerous languages.

As always I would LOVE to hear from you—here in the comments or via SpeakPipe. I’ll be sending Kathy—who’s message I shared today a Story Starter kit from my Story by Stacy line of products with Close To My Heart.