The Mystery of the Apple Tree

As I walked the paths around Champoeg I happened 

upon an apple tree growing near the 

river and instantly my mind went to my parents

(for they are never far from my thoughts

and heart these days...)

and a day in my life I remember very vividly.

When I was a young girl,

perhaps around 8 or 10, my Dad was

clearing out some of the woods around our 

house. He put his head in the door,

munching on a little apple (his favorite snack),

and said casually that he had found a 

wild apple tree. 

My Mom tossed her apron on the table, 

called us kid's from wherever we were

spending a lazy summer day reading, 

with that particular excitement in her

voice that meant some wonderful discovery.

We followed her out to where my Dad 

had been working and found this little

 apple tree which we had never noticed

there before. It looked quite old

and very bedraggled but it had a few

little wormy apples dangling here and there.

My Mom's voice took on her story telling

pitch and she said

"Kids, what if this tree was planted by Johnny Appleseed?

Do you think he came this far west?!"

We all began to chatter telling what we had learned 

about Johnny Appleseed in school

and speculating on whether this might be 

one of his trees. Then Mom suggested

that we look for a special mark

somewhere on the tree that would indicate

he had indeed planted it.

To our great disappointment we found

nothing and began to lose interest in the search

 when Dad passed by and gave that wry smile

he often gave to Mom when she

was being fanciful and said

"It's just a wild apple tree, Martha,

from a bird dropping a seed."

Mom gave him that look that said

"why do you always have to be so practical?"

and we trooped back to the house.

The great thing about parents like we had

is that they both truly loved history,

Dad the history of Christianity

and Mom, history of all kinds, especially

American and Finnish. 

History was exciting! It was worth crying over

and retelling many times, it was more than 

words on a page, it was the best part of 

learning, and that is why when I walk

along a river and see an apple tree

I think of who planted it and when

and of my parents and how 

instilling in a child excitement over an

apple tree carries with it the excitement

every child should have

about the great country we live in.