Our commemorative white oak is now planted on the side lawn across from the accessibility ramp. It is looking very stately for all its five feet in height. Come fall, our oak should turn a lovely shade of red or burgundy. While our oak is a slow grower, it has the potential to reach 100 feet or more in height and live for centuries, providing food and habitat for many types of animals.
I want to thank our Meetinghouse friend Doug. I asked him if he could dig the hole for the tree prior to the planting ceremony and he readily agreed. After he had dug the hole in the midst of the smoke we were experiencing, he emailed me his dig report which I am sharing with his permission.
At 1 foot down I found this nail:
Could it be from a chest hidden long ago to conceal something of great value? Priceless treasures? Encouraged, I dug further and at 1.5 feet found this wood fragment, probably from the chest:
At almost 2 feet down, I became weak from the wildfire smoke and the stench of the nearby dumpster, but regained energy by foraging in the meadow:
Then at 2 feet I heard the clank of the shovel on the chest, but it turned out to be a piece of old drainpipe:
So, in the end it turns out there was nothing there, and maybe I watch too many treasure shows!
I used to dig holes just like this in my yard when I was ten, after reading Treasure Island.
I also want to thank our neighbor and Meetinghouse friend Kitsey for installing the fencing around the tree to prevent deer from over browsing it until it gets too tall for them.
We have had a great deal of rain recently (we are out of the drought thankfully!) but if that stops, we will need to water the oak tree until winter. If you can take a bit of time to water the tree and spend some time in nature, please sign up here! It gives specific times on the sign-up sheet but do it when it is convenient for you on that day. It also gives instructions. And if you are signed up and we have had a significant rain in the last 24-36 hours, you can skip your watering.
May our oak and our country thrive!
Heather Cochrane
Board President, The Meetinghouse
