More career plans

On a recent drive to visit my parents, Isaac revised his previous career goals: now he wants to be, as he put it, a "redwood scientist." We were driving along a one-lane road down a densely forested mountain, and there were redwoods all around.

A few minutes later he elaborated on the evolution of his plans, saying, "I was going to be a snowplow driver in the winter and a backhoe driver in the summer, but now I'm going to be a redwood studier."

We spent some time talking with Isaac about botany, because it's a relief to have something to discuss on a long car trip besides construction equipment. (Isaac likes to talk about equipment so much that sometimes he'll assign it to us as a topic. "Mama, you think about road rollers," he ordered earlier during the same trip. "And Dad, you think about front loaders. Isaac will think about wheeled excavators." A few minutes later, when he demanded to know if I was thinking about rollers, I had to admit that I wasn't.)

Anyway, when it's winter and there aren't any plants readily available for study, Isaac is going to dig a hole in the snow to uncover them. When I pointed out that it doesn't snow where we live, he said he's going to be a scientist in Yosemite, studying the trees and plants there.

That would be pretty cool, actually.

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I was pleased to hear Isaac say that he knew all about studying plants and trees because of his time gardening with me, especially because we'll be doing more of it now that spring is almost here. Over the weekend Isaac and I pruned two buddleja together, and today he told me he wanted to prune more. Since the main principle of pruning these bushes is to cut them back hard, no precision required, it's good work for a three-year-old.

This is my favorite time of year to garden, mostly because I love to prune! I like helping the plant make the most of its upcoming growth, optimizing it for strength, health, and beauty. I also enjoy gardening later on in the year when the plants are in full flower, but there's something special about this time of year when the new growth is just beginning and my guidance is needed. (Although the new growth is already coming on strong, so it's getting a little late to prune. I've been otherwise occupied for the last six weeks or so, however.)

Today as we worked together on another buddleja, Isaac asked to borrow my good clippers. I handed them over, taking his crummy loppers in exchange, and then he announced that he was my mama. I guess to him my clippers symbolize motherhood.

I'll spare you the forced metaphor equating pruning with parenting.