Community

We followed up our week on Friendship with a week of Community. At the Friendship Parade, children gave gifts to the Tree. They presented the Tree with flowers and plants which we then planted during our Community week. Carolynn came by on Tuesday morning and the children worked hard to prepare the tree bed for the planting. The soil was very hard and had lots of trash in it. We cut the weeds, cleaned the bed, and tilled the soil. It was tough work but it was done with great hope and enthusiasm. We even sang as we worked. We sang Friendship and Together Wherever We Go of course! Our Tree loves show tunes. And then we planted... petunias, thyme, a ba-da-bing rose (yes, that is its REAL name), and black-eyed Susans. We put down compost and mulch to give these young flowers and herbs healthy soil to grow in. Each day the children water the tree bed. When asked how planting around the tree bed builds community the responses were:
"It makes people happy because it is beautiful."
"Our garden inspired other people to go home and plant their own gardens."
"It reminds people to take care of trees and not litter or let dogs pee on them."
That's community!