After the Final Project

I just sent off all the project work to our instructor. I had a devil of a time in the last week, what with the network being down at home, and being dicey at work. Every time I tried to upload work, the Internet connections would hang.

I learned a tremendous amount about my local environment. I now know where the watershed is, where the local nuclear plant is (not that far!), and what environmental issues face my community. I also made friends with local gardeners, and received help with plant identification and assistance in planning changes to the landscape.

One of the biggest lessons I learned came at a distance. In my former home in the Low Country region, I faced the prospect of a favorite tree entering its last years. The willow in the backyard is failing fast - it may not last another storm season.

So, I'm preparing to plant a successor to the willow. I have someone with more energy than I who will prepare the site, and I have given her permission to choose a tree.

I realized that I waited too long to replace the tree. I needed to plan for succession before it became an immediate need. As a result, the backyard will lose most of its shade for a few years, until the new tree takes hold. I've heard the folk wisdom - "don't wait until you're thirsty to dig your well". That also applies to gardens.