Strawberry Plants, a Whispering Pine Tree and Daydreams

My order of strawberry plants arrived in the mail last week.  I took the time to plant them on Saturday.

Saturday was a beautiful day to play in the dirt, and I did my garden work under the guidance of our old pine tree. Working near the big pine on days with a gentle breeze is a joy as the breeze makes the needles sing.

Saturday was no exception.  The sun was shining and the old pine was whispering sweet nothings.

During the dirt scratching exercise and pine tree serenade, my mind wondered off. Daydreams turned to pictures of yesterday year: comings and goings on our farm for 100 plus years.

Here is our first documented existence of the pine tree.  The photo is dated 1913.  See the small row of trees in front of the house?  Our old pine in its infancy.

Roughly the same photo shot, but in 2014.  See the big pine standing tall?

This is the only pine which remains of the original row.

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A previous owner of our farm wrote a book of memoirs.  This book includes happenings from the homestead. One authored recount is of a Christmas during the Great Depression and a improvised Christmas tree.  A limb from a pine tree at our place was cut off and served a Christmas tree.  This limb was moved three times: to a one-room school house, a country church, and to the old farmhouse.  With each transition the decorations were gently removed, transported to the next location and painstakingly replaced.  I'd like to think that special limb came from the remaining old pine.

A stately character.  Always observant.

I wonder how many generations of brothers this tree has watched over the last century?

If there is equipment, it will break.  Somebody has to fix it and someone has to learn the art of repair

How many generations of momma's taking care of their babies?
 

"You have a milk mustache.  Here let me lick it off."

And how about this time honored tradition?  How many big brothers received the glory of the "fixin"?

And how many little brothers got the job of putting away the tools?  

Best to put them away now.  Dad will not be happy if the tools turn up missin!

The old pine has seen many changes the past century, but really the "things" just change.  The people, the seasons, the purpose, and the cycles remain the same.

Gives one a sense of calm thinking about the repetition of it all.

Hmmm.  Over 100 years wonder how many strawberry plants have been planted on Saturday afternoons?  

And wonder how many daydreams got this carried away,...................