Not Acorny Story

As Jenna made space in her late fathers office, in preparation for the arrival of her daughter Rosie and newborn granddaughter. Jenna didn't think this much anticipated moment couldn't get much sweeter, but it did. A familiar little black book dropped to the floor as she moved things about. The dusty book sent her down a nostalgic whirlwind and she couldn't wait to show Rosie what she found. She knew it held a story of incredible value, and knew it should stay in the family for generations to come. As she flipped through the pages, smiling, she began to reminisce.

It was some decades prior when Rosie and her mom made the big move to California. They were originally residing in New York, where Jenna was a hungry and starving artist, trying to find her place in an already crowded art world. Jenna had family across the country in Northern California, where her roots still reside. SHe was raised in Oakland by her father Ace and stepmother Alice. Although Jenna had planned to move back home eventually, the news of her ailing, Oakland native father, jump started the hastily planned return. Jenna explained to her daughter that Grandpa Ace was not well because his heart was sad, due to the death of his beloved wife Alice some years prior. She told Rosie he needed his family closer so they could fill his heart back up with love. Even though the journey was long, Rosie and her mom settled in to the Bay Area easily, like they always belonged there. Grandpa Ace’s health grew strong again as Rosie and Jenna settled in the city. Jenna was in the very home she was raised in as a child, and now her own child was doing the same. The old creaky house was an original, but one of the last standing Victorian homes which was at least a hundred years old. In the backyard of the now old fashioned home, lived a single Oak tree, about as old as the house.The city at one point had tried to buy the property from Ace, to turn it into a historical museum like the others in the area, but the man never budged. Grandpa Ace often referred to himself as the soul between the bones of the home. As for the tree, according to Ace, was the heart of the property, and he had a duty to protect the aging Oak

Rosie's mother knew Oakland was the perfect concoction of daily inspiration , uniqueness of urban vibes, the scene was her muse. Rosies mom ran more than one gallery at this point making her scarce at home. Her mom's time away only made her relationship with grandpa ace thrive. They spent years trolling stories and building memories and creating family traditions. Every sunday, the two would rid the dry backyard of leaves, tree debris and weeds. They even created a tune for the weekend chore, to rhymatcally pass the time. “Silly squirrels scurry ‘round the yard, burying all the acorns then forgettin’ where they are!” was the tune that taught her why they pick up acorns from the oak, which was to prevent squirrels from riddling the yard with holes. Finished chores, which never felt that way to rosie, always ended in story time under her favorite backyard tree. Grandpa loved this tree, and so did she. She never questioned why, because her nature loving spirit was definitely inherited. Grandsa Ace built Rosie a swing, a treehouse, and even told her a story about how fairies live in the hole in the trunk.

Years passed, and the Oak began to show signs of sickness. At the same time, Rosie had sprouted in height, and her mind blossomed. She was a new 5th grader and she couldn't be more excited. Her first day reunited with her friends was full of fun and learning. They discussed plant processes, a little math, and some history of her home town Oakland, California. As soon as she learned that Oakland lost most of its oak trees over the years, the nature loving child felt overwhelming sadness. It reminded her about how grandpa got sick when he didn't have friends or family close enough to keep his heart full. What was going to come of their lonely family tree? Was it sick because it had a broken heart? On her way home from school that day, Rosie knew she had to do something. Not only did she want her oak tree to have a family, she wanted oakland to be the lush land of oaks like she had just learned it used to be. Rosie also learned the delicate processes of plant cycles, and it dawned on her. Rosie rewrote the clean the yard tune she knew, “Silly squirrels running all around, don't throw away the acorns, put ‘em in the ground!”. She knew then exactly what to do, and she needed Grandpa’s help.

When Ace's granddaughter pitched her plan to grow more trees in the yard, his heart exploded. This little girl was a mirror image of himself, but also shared an unrivaled passion for life like his late wife Alice did.Grandpa Ace gave the girl a little black book to log and track how many trees the plants. She named them, sang to them, and helped them thrive. Over time the duo had slowly but successfully transformed the backyard into a miniature oak tree forest.

Rosie never left the bay area. Time went on, and she and her mother inherited grandpa Aces victorian after his passing. She stayed to carry out her childhood mission and dedicated her time to it while helping her mother thrive in the art scene. As a young adult, Rosie became one the youngest, most determined and known environmentalist for her city. By this point she had successfully restored hundreds of trees in parks, private properties, and wherever the city allowed her to do her work. It was until COVID-19 hit the nation and cleared the streets of 9big cities did she have the chance to restore what's right. In the once highly populated area, now sat blocks of empty parking lots collecting dirt. It was at this time, Rosie received her first grant of 20,000. Oakland was calling on her and she felt it. Rosie was to use the money to restore earth where these empty concrete lots are wasting away. Not only was she going to receive 20,000 for one lot, for every single lot that she could reform. Rosie loved this plan, for she had been repopulating the trees free of cost for years. The money was to cover returning the lots back to habitable soil for tree growth.

Rosie put the Oaks back in Oakland, The Bay, as soon as the people left and cleared the way.