Fool: U is for…

Happy Arbor Day!

Too bad it’s not yesterday, T day, because then today I would write about Trees.  But alas it’s not, it’s U day.  And

U is for umbrellas.

But fret not, as is often the way with my twisty brain there is a connection between trees and umbrellas.  Just follow me down the rabbit hole and see.

Let’s begin with my dream.  But before we go there let me mention that I often display marvelous talents in my dreams that I somehow haven’t managed to express in my waking life.  Like I’m a world-class fabulous dancer for whom problems with grace and two-left feet do not exist.  And I’m a standing-ovation-worthy singer, although so far in real life only my cats are kind enough to listen to me sing without running from the room.  It’s true often these talents in my dreams are displayed on busy train station platforms (what’s up with that?!) but nevertheless my skills are noteworthy.

So I wasn’t really all that surprised when I found myself in my dream at an outdoor restaurant in a lovely garden sitting at a table with a friend.  Who was rather discouraged that she couldn’t seem to manifest what she wanted.  I told her I knew the secret, but there was a caveat, and she should pay attention.

And then I burst into song.  A song I discovered a few short years ago when I attended an exhibit honoring the great early TV genius of the Kukla, Fran and Ollie children’s show.  One of the clips that was played was a song sung by one of the puppets, Fletcher Rabbit, and it was something to the effect of “Plant a carrot, get a carrot, never any doubt.  That’s why I love vegetables; you know what you’re about.  But plant a kid, then I wish you luck, for you are absolutely stuck.  As soon as you think what you know you’ve got, it’s what they’re absolutely not.”  (Total apologizes to the author of the song for my brain’s tweaking of the lyrics, but I promise I have the gist of the message correct.)

I was inordinately proud of myself in my dream for having so masterfully explained the laws of manifestation (and in song yet!), but my friend looked at me and I could clearly see she didn’t understand.  So I took the demonstration one step further.  I pulled the paper parasol from my frou-frou drink and threw it over my shoulder.  And low and behold up popped a tree, from which pretty parasols hung from each branch.

She was gobsmacked and I was delighted.  And that friends, is when I awoke.  But with the carrot song still running through my brain.

Invoking the powers of poetic license, I’m declaring my parasols to actually have been umbrellas and thus I have a U entry in the A-to-Z challenge that links up nicely with the fact that today is a celebration of trees.  You can leave the rabbit hole now, we’re done down here.

Given that it is Arbor Day it occurred to me that perhaps there really was a type of tree called an umbrella tree and I ought to mention it.  The world-according-to-Goggle indicates there are a number of such trees, but none that are familiar to me or that I’ve actually seen.

It wouldn’t be Arbor Day without tree planting, but it’s too cold here to actually plant and the truth is I live on property so small I don’t have room for any trees other than my beloved tiny rose tree.  So I participate each year by donating to charities who do plant trees, and I encourage you to do so as well if you’re inspired.  But I do offer a caveat to consider.  Know your charity.  Many tree-planting organizations hide the fact that when they plant tree seedlings, they go into locations where they may or will be logged for profit or coppiced.  I want to think any trees I plant will be a blessing to the environment and our beautiful Earth for a long, long time.

What about you?  Are you celebrating Arbor Day?  Have a favorite kind of tree?  Display talents in your dreams you don’t actually have in waking life?  Know any wisdom songs that came to you from a puppet’s mouth?  Do tell – you know I love to hear.