Jim Sutton from Elhannon Wholesale Nurseries of Petersborough, N.Y. came by this morning with two water birches and planted them on the Northeast corner of the house. He is bringing a third in September, forming a group of birches that will help circle the house with trees, shrubs, bushes and flowers. I call it the wall of life, the plan is to envelop our beautiful old  farmhouse in shade and beauty, offer us more privacy from the traffic and build some beautiful landscaping for the future, long after we are gone. Jim has become a good friend, he is a brilliant landscape designer and an honest and compassionate man. We are lucky to know him and his wife Ruth.