Blame Mother Nature

I grew up in Illinois along the Fox River where there were lots and lots of trees. What could be better? In my backyard there was a large weeping willow tree that I thought of as exclusively mine.

Oh, how I loved that tree... sitting under it, climbing it, just seeing its graceful form swaying in the breeze. I could get lost in its branches when I would climb up into its arms to read a book, or think, or hide and escape from the world. In the winter its long icicled branches would shimmer in the sun as they danced in the winds. That's a whole lot of bling!

When I grew up, I continued to love trees and nature. I named my four daughters for the beauty I found in nature because I thought they were such breathtaking creatures when they were born. Afton was named for a beautiful river in Scotland (there's a really pretty song about that). Willow was named for my cherished childhood tree. Treesje's name just reminds me of trees because of how I spelled it (although years later we found out it actually means “little” in Dutch), and it ended up "Tree" became her nickname. Go figure!

Torrey was named for the most rare Torrey Pine tree that I fell head over heels for in San Diego... in all the world they only grow in San Diego and Santa Rosa Island.

Torrey Pine

I would like to think the girls like their names, but if they don't, it's not my fault. Blame Mother Nature!