Earth Day 2013

Mama gnome has not tended her gardenblog as much as she ought to.
Young gnomelets take up her time day and night.
But mother gnome would still like to share with you the gnome family's Earth Day endeavor for this year.
It swelled up her old gnome heart for it allowed her time to spend with one of her favorite earth creatures...trees.
The gnome family spent Earth Day 2013 with some of her favorite humans as well...Treepeople.

(c) friendlygnome.blogspot.com 

On this day, Treepeople, the gnome family, and other humans planted trees and tended to the young treelings that were already there.
The gnome family and their human family team had to prepare the tree root ball by teasing out the roots, smoothing them out and making sure the roots didn't wrap around so when the tree grows, the roots will be growing and spreading out as much as they should.

(c) friendlygnome.blogspot.com

 Mama gnome was giddy for the tree root smelled wonderful. The young tree we planted was a bay tree and this rootball smelled like bay leaves. Mother gnome's nose tingled and she smiled.

Who knew that one of the secrets of planting trees was the use of small feet to stamp down the earth around the spot where the tree was planted to compact the soil around the young tree.

(c)friendlygnome.blogspot.com 

Gnomes and humans had to haul big buckets of water back and forth to water all the newly planted trees plus all the other treelings.

After the planting, mulching, weeding, raking, and watering, the gnome family and humans settled down for a lunch box provided by the Treepeople.
Mama gnome ate a scrumptious veggie sandwich and a refreshing salad and...Mama gnome couldn't believe how big the cookie was! It was bigger than her hand.
Mother gnome assures you she had no trouble making that cookie fit in her mouth and in her stomach eventually.

After all the work was done, the humans left but not the gnome family. Mama gnome had heard from a treepeople person that there was actually a river nearby even though we couldn't see it from where we were. This was enough for the gnome family to explore and find the mystical river.
First we encountered horseshoe prints on the path.

Then we clambered up a hill to this chainlink fence and lo and behold this river made by humans.

Young gnomelets whooped and hollered with joy. Mama gnome and daddy gnome looked at each other and smiled. What a wonderful treat to find this.
Of course young gnomelets were not content to look from far away, the gnome family scrambled and ambled slowly and carefully down to the river's edge and was even more surprised to see these...

Can you spot the ducks in flight?

 Crane and ducks had no trouble getting along.

The river and vegetation merged beautifully along this spot.

Daddy gnome and young gnomelets were happy to spot this foxtail growing so well along the river's edge.
Such a picturesque spot don't you think. Now what would mar this vision?
Mama gnome's bane of her existence, Plastic Bag Monster, had its minions in the river as well.

This is part of what drives Mama gnome and the gnome family to battle several times a year against Plastic Bag Monster and its minions.

This is the young tree, the gnome family helped plant. We will visit her soon to see how she if faring.

Mama gnome hopes you would join the gnome family and become tree guardians as well.
Please make everyday an Earth Day and drive Plastic Bag Monster to eternal oblivion, and go green.

(c) text and all pictures friendlygnome.blogspot.com