I told my husband about the previous post, and he wanted me to post a retraction, he’s sitting right here, so this is a quote from the republican, politics-loving man I’m married to:

“As to the question can a republican be a “Tree Hugger” - in the truest sense, by all means. Unfortunately with many of the existing “Tree Huggers” it seems that there is more of a relationship with the tree than the people around them. As a person who lives under trees, and was raised loving the beauty they provide, I take exception to those that feel it is one or the other. I feel republicans have a great sense for protecting the conditions of our lives as well as our environment, and feel there has to be harmony in both.”

So there you have it, from a man who was raised by a father who worked for the Forest Service. He fought fires, and for a number of years the familiy lived on and maintained many acres of forested government land in Colorado, my husband has fond memories of those days.  Oh, by the way, my  father-in-law, in his own words, is a “die-hard democrat”.

I really hope so, because I’m a republican, and tomorrow will be saying goodbye to 3 trees on our property.  I love trees, and always have, and can’t imagine living in an area that isn’t green with them.  The street we live on borders a State Forest on one side, and our lake on the other.  A rolling, wooded hill full of beautiful trees makes up the view across the lake and above the houses on the other side.  I loved my studies in Ecology when in college.

I guess the title may sound silly, but I get the impression from listening to my husband that there is something wrong with being what he calls a “tree hugger”, and that most of them are democrats.  Maybe what troubles him is the extremes that some go to.  I’m not sure what materials the homes that these people live in are made of, there must be wood in there somewhere.  And do they read books, or just read online…no trees, no paper.  Actually I haven’t done my homework on the negative aspect of being a tree hugger, or whether there are more democratic than republican tree huggers, for me it’s just simple.  I love my trees, I’m wondering what it’s going to look like when they are cut down, concerned about whether the birds and squirrels that feed at my feeders will be losing a home. We do have quite a few trees on our property, so I’m hoping they’ll fill in the void soon.

One thing I DO know is that the wood will be put to good use, we have a wood stove, and with energy prices being the way they are, the wood will come in handy.