My Favorite Book

"To plant a pine, one need be neither God or a poet: one need only a shovel" Aldo Leopold


My Favorite book is A Sand County Almanac And Sketches Here and There by Aldo Leopold. I discovered this book in my "later the average college years." I was taking a Forestry Class, and it was required reading. I also had to write a paper on it, I might even have a copy of it around here someplace, probably "upstairs"... as everything I haven't used in awhile ends up upstairs. My book, sits in a basket on my Scrap-booking desk, my hard cover version was a thoughtful gift from Jen a number of years ago. I had an old used paperback copy, that was dog eared and highlighted, with notes in the margin, I must have given that copy to someone else to read. I did have several copies floating around here at one time, then when I would get a customer at the greenhouse that was a "Reader" I would send them off with my favorite book. But not my hard covered copy, I lend it to no one...a bit selfish perhaps..I guess it must be so. Somethings I just need near me..just in case..and this book is one of those things.

Leopold was a conservationist. a naturalist and a writer. His book is written in such a way that you don't need to read it from start to finish.although I suggest you do. You can pick up this book and just read a small sketch here and there. Possibly it could be read aloud, around a campfire, or to a grandchild. I enjoy reading it bits and pieces here and there. I look at this book, like a visit from an old friend, a wise old friend.

Maybe a book written in the late 1940's isn't for you...maybe your carrots have always come in a plastic bag instead of out of the garden covered with a little bit of dirt to make them taste better. Maybe your heat only comes from a furnace, instead of stored up in a woodpile ready to warm your very soul. Maybe you don't weep for the wildflowers being annihilated by the four wheeler tracks in the ditches. Leopold says " Maybe you can't grieve for something you never knew." If you never noticed the wildflowers ..you will never miss them:)