God gives us lots of trees and for nothing and still does. It’s lots more fun and much more rewarding doing it his way. The wheels of time spin away so fast.

As I and many of you oldsters grew up, trees were ordered from nursery catalogs and were shipped at the proper planting time — yes, through the mail. The roots were bare, but wrapped in peat moss or like material, burlap, and in a heavy paper bag.

Deciduous (those trees that shed their leaves), those, we say, go dormant in the winter. The sap stops running up the trunk of the tree, letting its leaves all die and fall off. While the tree is in this state, it can be so easily moved.

The smaller the tree, the easier it is to move, as moving will cause injury and shock, especially to the roots. Trim all of the injured roots and limbs, but keep the tree in balance while doing so, the roots in line with the top of the tree. The main thing to consider: don’t cut that heavier center or tap root too short.

Just go for it. Save as many roots as you can. Dig a roomy hole with room to spread those roots, carefully work loose soil in and around the loosely spread roots, trying not to leave any air pockets, packing the soil gently and firmly over them. When they are covered and before the hole is full of dirt, pour water over to fill the hole, then let it all soak in. Finish filling the hole with dirt, then you can, gently with your feet, step on and tamp the dirt down.

Do this in September or October. Water it every month or six weeks if no rain or snow. In the spring, that happy little tree will burst into life and it will really surprise you how fast it will grow. They often outdo the potted trees we’ve always found.

Come by and check out our trees here in the village. In the years of 2000 and 2001, when our manager said “go ahead,” we, the residents, all got involved and added 17 shade trees — maples, oaks, golden rain, red buds and more, most of them seedlings from someone’s yard.

Get a small child involved with you when you plant that tree. You might even, some day, hang a swing on a limb.

— Aunt Norie, PO Box 265, Tonganoxie, KS  66086; auntnorie@att.net