By Sandra Rippetoe ©2021
With appreciation and gratitude for the Wisdom of Nature
For the Earth and Her Creatures – animals, plants, insects, (and humans), especially those you’d find in yards!
It was an ordinary spring in the Land-of-Nature’s-Rhyme
when a girl named Sophia begged . . . each day . . . all the time
“Let’s grow a forest in the yard, Dad! Pleeeeeease !
It won’t be hard. Nature does it with ease!”
After two years of mowing, he finally relented,
“Well, here’s the spot. Nature can have it,” he hinted.
“I’ve already called Before-You-Dig-811.
This land is all clear. The checkup’s been done.”
Sophia was joyful! She got out her chart.
It had pictures and lists, “I know just how to start!”
They drove to the nursery and bought four native shrubs,
“Dad, guess what we’re planting?! Gathering hubs!
Lots of birds will show up as will butterflies and bees.
They’ll visit these plants then the birds disperse seeds –
that will grow, over time, and create our yard’s woods.
A forest we will have, where nothing once stood.”
At first, their forest floor was just wildflowers and weeds.
How very important – bees and butterflies have needs!
It turned out she was right. Somehow baby trees grew,
mulberry, five cedars, an ash, redbuds – two!
Squirrels passing through buried nuts for the winter.
A walnut and oak tree grew – they missed those seeds for dinner!
Keep in mind this small plot was just 20 feet by 20.
How could so much grow there?! Yet there was room . . . plenty!
Every spring and summer new visitors arrived.
Their green forest filled up, each day more alive.
Sophia smiled at her Dad, “I know what to do –
Let’s go sit in the middle so we can see the whole view!”
So he made a wooden bench and painted it blue.
They sat on it together admiring the trees,
quietly listening to birdsongs and bees.
They loved this special spot through many long years
and shared happy times there but also some tears.
At their very last visit he said, “You were certainly right
about this forest, hon. What a beautiful sight!
You know it won’t be long till I soar past these heights.”
They both looked to the sky as the leaves danced with the light.