And One Remains

Well I'm sad to say it, but I've lost another tree. Oliver didn't quite pull through with the transfer to the increased living space of a new pot. He held on strong for 2 weeks, but in the end, will power wasn't enough for this little tree. He just couldn't shake his seed pod...sad. So it's up to Annie and the pot of stragglers to pull me through. Hopefully the weather will come around and they can all enough the benefits of some fresh air as opposed to the crap we're all breathing right now :)

Try...try again

After the demise of the great tree Talweed, I felt I needed to start a new tree for Natalie. Mostly since I killed the last one. So I present to you, Talweed_2! At least until it gets renamed. He's a few weeks behind everyone else, but with my new and improved growing techniques, this new batch of trees will catch up in no time. So watch out everyone, I have a feeling this is going to be one bad-ass tree (you would be too if you got killed) . And who knows, perhaps Talweed_2 will bring some new friends

New digs

So it's been awhile since the last update. As we all know, Talweed is no longer with us :( ...and that still hasn't changed. I do believe in recycling so he is now being put to use as compost for Annie and Oliver in their new, and larger pot. As you can see, they are now enjoying a fiber pot, that prevents over watering and will let there roots grow (probably far too much but whatever).


There was a bit of excitement during the re-potting process. I was using a dehydrated dirt biscuit, and it didn't fluff up right away when I gave it some water. So I figured that I'd just use the soil from the little green starter pots and all would be well. So I went about transplanting the trees, watered them and put them back by their favorite window. Not 10 minutes later, in the midst of my workout, I look back and see the pot now over flowing with dirt. Annie was being pushed out the the pot and Oliver had been swallowed up...not good. With a bit of panic and quick action, order was restored and the 2 orphan trees are once again back to beating the odds.

I've got...news

Well...I'm not sure how to break this to everyone but...Talweed did make it. I know, I know...terrible news. It happened just the other night. We had a good workout together, he looked a little stronger than he had over the weekend, but the next morning when I went to water him, he had already laid down in his pot and started to wilt. I wish there was more that could be done. I was going to give him a proper burial but...I mean...he already lives in soil so I just kinda...well...pushed some dirt over him and said goodbye (good fertilizer you know).

I'm sure this will be hardest on Natalie, they were so close after all. The countless days spent together. A real tragedy.

I have high hopes that another seedling will emerge to take Talweed's place. Otherwise I may have to take drastic measures to ensure a successor. Feel free to leave some words in memory of the mighty Talweed. He'll be missed

Week 2

Great news! Not only have we got our first sighting of Annie the tree, but she has a friend! We, okay mostly me, are going though the process of picking a name, but have thought it best to wait for a bit to get a good feeling for him and what name fits best. I think we've found a good window spot in the living room for these two, and the extra week of them sitting by a watchful picture really paid off. They've also seemed to have taken a shine to the local Hard Rock station and mineral rich city water. I'm attributing this to the hard times they had to fight through in the early stages of life. (Insert abandonment joke here).

Unfortunately the same progress cannot be said for the once mighty Talweed. After seeing some huge growth in the first week and a half Talweed seems to be fading. He's having trouble standing tall and still has not shown any needle growth. It may be that what is working so well for Annie and friend is not what's best for Talweed. I've taking to extra nurturing and care, but not even extra walks in the house bedtime stories of The Giving Tree have seemed to rase his spirits much. I wonder if the easy going suburban life has anything to do with this, or maybe jeolousy of Annie's friend while Talweed is alone in his pot. For now I'm thinking about separating the two pots and giving the ailing Talweed some Classical music to listen to while I'm at work, there's not much I can do about the water situation though. Perhaps putting his energy into taunting the cat and reading instead of growing wasn't the best idea.

May the coming week show improvement. We're all routing for you Talweed.

New names and some early picts.

Here are some pictures of the my first days with the trees, who have been named Talweed and Annie (in the hopes that a sprout emerges despite being abandoned). Talweed has been enjoying his time looking out the window, watching the city rats (squirrels) run by, taunting the orphan trees, and as you can see catching up on some reading by diffusion (not to be confused with osmosis which has to do with water and water alone).




And here is Annie. She also enjoys her time by the window, but have also placed her by a picture in the hopes she feels secure enough to get her head out of the dirt, so to say. Not being as developed as Talweed, Annie has not yet learned to read and has so far refrained from mocking the cat...a wise choice I think.



It was a good first week together. We all walked around the house, looked for our favorite spots to sit in the living room, watched some movies (PG-13, they're still young and impressionable). I'm hoping next week we'll see some action from Annie and Talweed will show us a needle or two.

The skinny

Once upon a Christmas, last year, there gathered two families to celebrate the joys of the holiday: food, friends, food, Wii, movies, and more food. At breakfast (food part 1) 6 of the 7 members of the group were handed a tiny pot, some soil, and six seeds. These were no ordinary seeds of course. These were Christmas tree seeds. A challenge was naturally brought forth...who could grow the biggest and best tree. Claims were made, proclamations stated, bravado was shown by all those at the table, that they and only they could produce the best tree.

As the purchaser and giver of the trees, I have none to call my own. But in a turn of events, a twist of fate if you will, I have obtained two pots of the precious seeds. The first was given to me by a young scholar who had a previous obligation to travel across the world to the sands of Egypt. I have humbly (for the moment at least) accepted the task to raise the young seedling as best I could until she returns. The second pot was abandoned by its original caretaker, possibly in her zeal to return home. Who can say the real reason the poor seeds were left behind, so I now am left to care for these tiny containers until she too returns to claim them (and a custody battle will ensue).

I'll be chronicling the lives of the seeds I'm left to care for. Some seeds have already started to sprout...they just grow up so fast. I suddenly find myself a single father of 12 seeds and am not entirely sure what I've gotten into. Can I hack it? We shall see. So now you know what this is all about, and how ridiculous we all are.