You have to plant the seed before it will grow

When we moved out into the country 17 years ago, the area around our house did not have one single tree; it was nothing but a wheat field. The wind and the dirt, from miles around, hit the house with nothing to break it, and I sometimes wondered if the house would blow away. The inside of the house required a thorough dusting every day.

Trees do more than just provide a break from the wind; they provide privacy. I remember people driving by and being able to see our every move, whether we were sitting on the front porch or at the dining room table, watching TV, or if the kids were playing in t...