Today’s question: What is your favorite type of plant life? Whether it be tree, bush, flower, fruit or vegetable, why is it so special to you?

Huh. So many to choose from. My dad used to love gardening, so I have fond memories of the marigolds, zinnias and tulips he always planted. I also think bamboo is very nice. I love lilac bushes and juniper trees. I’m a terrible gardener myself but I envy people with lush herb gardens. But I think quaking aspens might be my favorite. They make a lovely rustling sound when the wind blows. They seem so delicate with their slim white trunks and small leaves, but underground their roots are all connected so that a whole mountainside of aspens can really be all one giant organism. This makes them incredibly tough despite their looks. Some aspen groves are thought to be thousands of years old. Beautiful things hiding secrets underground? Perfect.

All this plant talk makes me miss my dad. He didn’t just love gardening, he loved all kinds of nature. He’d learn the scientific names of the plants in his neighborhood, watch them through the year as they bloomed and fruited and grew. He used to write little articles for his office newsletter all about it, explaining little facts about the trees and flowers you could see all year long. We didn’t always have space for a real garden, but my dad always kept plants around, even when he and Mom retired and bought a house in the desert. I never thought of it until just now, but my dad was very Mori in his habits and hobbies. Funny enough, he also spoke fluent Japanese and had a great love for Japanese culture and history. Wow. Seems like I should have noticed all that sooner. This puts my interest in a whole new light.