From the field
There is a meticulous kind of joy in overseeing a backyard transformation. Looking back at this afternoon in Wildwood during the spring of 2020, I can still smell the fresh mulch and the crisp pine of the new Blue Spruce we were finally getting into the ground. While I maintained my post as the project visionary—hands on hips and making sure the alignment was just right—my favorite "Mexican labor" was doing the heavy lifting with the shovel. This project was more than just a landscaping update; it was a way to ground ourselves during a season of uncertainty. Surrounded by bags of top soil and a blue wheelbarrow that saw more miles that month than my car did, we built a sanctuary that continues to grow. These archives serve as a vital record of our shared industry and the simple, enduring grace of a spring day spent in the dirt, building something meant to last for decades.