We Knew Him When

Today my usual weekly visit to one of my dearest friends was especially tasty.  I love this friend.  She is a botanist by training who, with her physician husband, shower me with  all things important in life – extraordinary friendship above all, plus greens from the garden, eggs from the chickens, medical care in time of dire need, and homegrown strawberries the likes of which beggar description.  No photographs – the berries are a distant dream.

My friend told me she got ahold of five seeds of a chinquapin tree.  She’s just planted the seedlings on her property.  The cinquapin is a species of American chestnut that teeters on the brink of extinction, having been all but wiped out by blight that struck in 1904. Wikipedia says that within forty years, the near-four billion-strong population in North America was devastated; only a few clumps of trees remained in California and the Pacific Northwest.

Here’s what the bark looks like.  Amazing, no?

That’s my friend.  To the rescue, healing what’s been almost lost.  Trees.  And me.

My friend has two phenomenal sons.  One had a hand in making a video I want to share with you.  This video is of another member of the family, Sasha.  Sasha is a conscientious and helpful cat.  You can see why in the video.

I’m very excited about this young man.  He is a truly extraordinary cartoonist.  I hope to be getting together with him very soon, maybe even this Sunday, to do what little I can to help him get started with his own blog.  I will let you know when his blog is up.  I dearly hope he will make some cartoons of cats.  But no matter what he chooses to draw, mark my words, we need to give him due props and recognition right now.  This guy is going places.  I for one want to be able to say, years hence or maybe tomorrow, “Ah, but I knew him when.  We could tell he was a genius, even at such a tender age.”  (He’s just finishing the fifth grade.)

Please put your paws together for my dear friends – and Sasha the conscientious and helpful cat.  Look closely for the little note at the end.  The video is mom’s, I think; the song is the son’s addition – and I’m thinking the note at the end is his too.  It has that witty twist I think I recognize.  Click here to enjoy.  Remember.  We knew him when.