Arboretum

My 8 year old daughter, Catherine, is as old as some of the Plebes (freshmen) at the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY. were ten years ago.  Having grown up about an hour from West Point, I have visited and attended many football games in autumn.  This was a special weekend for a football game.  The sense of pride and respect I felt Saturday was at times all consuming.  The men and women at West Point will be put in harms way upon their graduation as our country continues the war on terrorism.  The football game against San Diego State University served as a cloak over a larger series of events this weekend.  Former Mayor of NYC, Rudy Giuliani, spoke at half time to the Cadets and those in attendance.

The drive back home to West Chester, PA Sunday morning was spent listening to the memorial tributes being broadcast on the radio.  When Paul Simon sang The Sound of Silence at the WTC Memorial my emotions poured out.  From the back seat, I felt Catherine’s hand on my shoulder and she passed forward a box of tissues.  It is still difficult.

I spent much of the afternoon alone in my garden weeding upon returning home.

For three rainy day this week the Arboretum held its 23rd Annual plant sale and freshman plant give away in the Dining Center lobby. 

Every Haverford freshman is encouraged to stop by and recieve their complimentary plant.  This year 29% of the Class of ’15 did so.  Some determined on the spot what they would name their little bundle of joy!

Student memberships in the Arboretum were purchased for ten dollars.  This membership comes with the ever popular Arboretum t-shirt and enables students to bring their plants to the greenhouse over winter break or if they are studying abroad….plant sitting services.  We welcomed 65 new and returning student members to the Arboretum.

It may have been a hurricane a century ago that forced the osage orange to its comfortable position. The climbing tree was made safe on Friday, last week.

Arboretum manager, Bill Astifan, Jim Ward of The John Ward Tree Co., and the arboretum horticulturists carefully inspected and discussed which limbs to remove. To return the prostrate tree to a safe position and once again, a living piece of playground equipment, a few larger limbs had to be sacrificed.

A tree that is already growing along the ground is hard to blow down, better luck next time Irene !