We Planted a Tree

Okay, our friends. Spring is here. We're planting flowers. We're planting all kinds of things.

New babies are being born in their little nests. The birds and the bees and everybody's out there

doing their thing. Yes, it's true. All these things are true. And so today to celebrate this

new season, we're reading a story called, we planted a tree. Are we? Isn't that strange that

a bunny rabbit lays eggs filled with candy? Yeah, it's really. Trying not to think about it too much.

Well, it's part Easter. Yeah, it's just one of those things. But it may not have any scientific

evidence to back it up, but that's okay. We're going to instead focus on something to tell us

have some science to back it up. And it's what happens when you plant a tree. It has more effects

than just affecting the earth. It affects the things around it as well. Let's talk about it.

Today's story we planted a tree was written by Diane Muldrow and it's illustrated by Bob Stake.

And it is read today by mommy and Philip. And let's get right into it. This is, of course,

a little golden book. And we love those. So buckle up everyone. There is a little note at the very

beginning of this. It is a dedication by Dr. Wagrari Mukthai from 2004. And it says,

when we plant trees, we plant the seeds of peace and seeds of hope. And I love that. So with that

in mind, let us read the story. So the very first picture we can see there in a city, right? It

looks like they're in New York, Brooklyn, right? We can see the Brooklyn Bridge. We can see

they're digging a hole. And it says, we planted a tree. Now in the next picture, we can not see

another family. And it looks like they might be in Africa. Because oh, like kind of somewhere in

like the maybe Sahara, there's like, it's sort of a desertry looking place. There's some trees.

But it is, it's looking pretty bare here. And they say, we planted a tree. And it grew up.

Now back in New York, we can see the other family. We planted a tree and it grew up

while it reached for the sky and the sun. The sunshine went into the leaves and brought food

to the tree and the tree grew up. That is science, my friends. Sunshine does go into the leaves and

that is the food for the tree. Now we can see another family. And it looks to me like they're in,

I'm going to say someplace in Japan. And I think that's Mount Fuji in the background.

And they have a tree as well. And they say, fat little buds appeared on the branches.

And sunshine went into the buds and soon they burst open. And we can see more trees. This looks

like it's in the city of Paris. It looks like we are in France now because I think that's the

Eiffel Tower. What do you think about the Eiffel Tower? Yeah, everywhere. It was pink. And we

were dizzy with springtime. The sun kept shining and pink blossoms dropped off. But soon,

there were green leaves, green, green, shiny leaves which had food inside for the tree.

Green, green, shiny leaves which cooled us and kept the earth cool. Did you know that trees do

more than just provide shelter for you? They also provide shelter for the earth, which is

important, right? Yeah. We planted a tree and it grew up and gave us a shady place.

And the trees leaves helped clean the air. And we breathed better, says the kids who are now,

it looks like they're in New York again because they're in Central Park. And they're all breathing

much better air. The tree fed us, apples and oranges and lemons. But here's a fun fact. I have

something for you. I don't know if you knew this. Did you know that lemons are something that

are man-made? It's across between a bitter orange and a citron. It is. That's what the lemon is.

So you have to plant an orange and then a citron? Well, it was made that way, but now it's a truth,

it's a true citrus. And sap for our syrup. Did you know that your breakfast pancake syrup that

you put on your pancakes? That maple syrup comes from maple trees? It's true. It's true. Now back to

that family in Africa, we planted a tree and it grew up and we can see it has grown very tall,

indeed. And there's some other trees now too. And it's helping keep the crops in their yard

healthy and well because it provides some shade. The tree kept the soil from blowing away. Now,

rainwater could stay in the earth. There's some more science for you. The soil became healthier

because the tree was there. And so we planted we planted butternut squash and beans and corn and

onions and cabbage in the healthy soil. What's the goat doing there? Well, goats are important. If

you're going to have all these crops, you might as well also have some animals, right? Go to eat crops.

Goats do eat crops, but only if you're left unattended. If you've got your animal well fed

with other things, they're probably not going to chomp on your crops, okay? In the healthy soil,

the rich dark dirt, we could grow our own food and we ate better. We planted a tree and it grew up

and it dropped a corn that fed the squirrels and winter and birds came and other animals came too

to live with the tree. We planted a tree and that one tree made the world better.

We planted a tree and that one tree helped heal the earth. We planted a tree and it grew up

and so did we. And in all of these things, you can see how that one tree has done so many things

to help the world around it. The people who lived in the communities around that tree now have a

better life because of it. So friends, take a moment. Talk to your family. Can you plant a tree

someplace? Maybe you could. Maybe you could take care of a tree that already exists.

Our house has a tree that already took some of that. Yeah, we've got some trees in our backyard and

we take good care of them, don't we? And that, my dear good friends, is the and is there anything else

that you would like to add? Help even join us for another story tomorrow. Me too.