Like this:

My old orchard used to be quite a mess. Stosh is still working on it, there’s no rush in deciding which trees to keep and which to get rid of.

He says the apple tree (shown on the right side of the pic below) will have to go, but there is no rush yet. It still feeds the elk and deer.

The pair of plum trees that you see behind him have breathing room for the first time in years. We’re going to see how they do this spring before we make any decisions.

Seems a little silly to dig a hole in the ground to plant a small tree with such a huge shovel. Silly, but fun!

I bought a Honey Crisp and a Sunrise semi-dwarf.

I said a blessing prayer and a prayer of thanksgiving beside each tree. I know Stosh must have thought I was a little crazy, but he didn’t say anything.

The BCP has a prayer for everything. This one was my favorite:

For the Beauty of the Earth: We give you thanks, most gracious God, for the beauty of earth and sky and sea; for the richness of mountains, plains, and rivers; for the songs of birds and the loveliness of flowers. We praise you for these good gifts, and pray that we may safeguard them for our posterity. Grant that we may continue to grow in our grateful enjoyment of your abundant creation, to the honor and glory of your Name, now and for ever. Amen.

I love that the prayer of thanksgiving asks God for help in safeguarding the gifts of creation for “our posterity” and not “our prosperity.” Not for ourselves, but for those that follow us.

Episcopalians have been praying for the stewardship of the earth LONG before it became fashionable to be “green.”

Thanks be to God.

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