Enchanted Forests, Part I

Chrissa and I went tree shopping the other day to replace the tree we cut down in the backyard. I never knew trees were so dang expensive!

We walked around this garden center looking at all the trees and smelling green all around us. They even had this one greenhouse only with opaque screens to filter the sun down to a warm glow. In the greenhouse were all of the Japanese trees that aren't accustomed to direct sunlight. It was gorgeous in there. We were surrounded by this heady scent of the Orient. I’ll tell you what: there’s nothing more enchanting than walking through trees. It’s no wonder that so many of Grimm’s fairy tales took place in forests, or that Robin Hood lived in Sherwood Forest.

My retirement dream has changed over time. I first wanted to work for the government, then teach history, then retire to a private island somewhere with a yacht. Eventually that last part changed to ‘retire to a farm somewhere.’ Somewhere along the way the dream morphed again to where it is now: retire to a cabin in a forest somewhere…probably in Montana or Canada. Somewhere inaccessible during the winter, where Chris’ and I can snowmobile over to the nearest town when we need fresh vegetables or human company.