Sadly, this is another week of horrible weather. We had mixed of snow and ice. Thus, that was another week of focusing on observation and taking note of the current status of the garden. However, I did do some weedings when the weather was permitted. But not too much. The area that I cleaned up was covered by snow that night!
Nevertheless, I did work on the design of the framework!
It is now being called the “Oak Tree Framework.” You may wonder what it is and why it is called “Oak Tree”?
Well, New Jersey State Tree is “Northern Red Oak Tree”! There is one in my backyard with lots of acorns in the Fall.
I got this idea when I was in the garden and thinking, what should I name this framework that many of us New Jersey residents are familiar with and can be related to. While thinking of it, I saw tons of acorns on the ground.
I found the prefect acorns!
I knew that they had been here since last Fall. But they were covered by snow. That was my “a-ha” moment. So, I should name this Oak Tree Framework.
The crown of the tree: Evaluation and observation. The crown is often the first image that we associate with a tree. It tells us what the seasons that we are in. If it is green and filled with leaves, we know it is Spring and Summer. When it is bare, we know that it is Fall and Winter. The crown provides a path be more observant and aware of the surroundings. When we carefully evaluate and observe the tree’s crown, we have a better understanding of the current situation.
The leaves: Reflection, dialogue, and analysis cycle. Leaves are constantly changing. They absorb and transform the energy from the sun which allowing the tree to grow. In the Fall, leaves fall on the ground and fertilize the soil for the next growing season. The cycle of growing and falling of leaves resemble the reflection, dialogues, and analysis cycle. We reflect on our new insights, create a dialogue with the new knowledge, and analyze how to utilize this new material in our lives. Then, we growth with the accumulated knowledge to better understand ourselves and the world.
Fallen acorns and the soil: Proposing, planning, and deciding of our action. Fallen acorns require the right soil conditions, sunlight exposures, and water to germinate and sprout. Thus, a thoughtful plan of actions need to carry out before planting the fallen acorns in the soil. Proposing the right kind of soil, planning the growing path, and deciding the growin site will will facilitate the future of fallen acorns into a new Oak tree.
Worms: Looking ahead epicycle. Worms are important living organism in the soil. They decompose organic matter and makes the soil more fertile. They prepare the soil for growing seasons. Worms are great indicator of a healthy growing system. By carefully observing the worms activities, we can visualize the future growing season. If there is no worm in the soil, step back and prepare the soil before continuing the growing season. Embrace the worms!
The tree trunk: Implementation. Many purposeful actions happen within the tree trunk. The growing action of the tree trunk raises the leaves so the leaves can transform sunlight into food to feed the tree. The tree trunk then transports the food, water, and minerals to different parts of the tree structures.
The roots: Constituency building cycle. The roots perform many vital role in a tree structure. They absorb and transport water and nutrients from the soil into the stem. They anchor and support the body of the tree above ground. A tree without roots will not grow. Without healthy roots, it will not survive. A healthy root structure goes deep and wide into the soil. However, keep in mind that strong roots do not grow overnight, they require lots of patients and caring.
Well, just in case, I have gathered some practical tools to help us out.
Each step has a special tool that we can use to create our local wildlife-inclusive suburban outdoor garden.
I will go over each tool once I have them set up with visual guideline to help move along.
Spring should be here soon….. well at least that is what I am hoping for.