(We meet the base gardener Treebeard for the first time and from him we discuss the growing techniques used on the base, his family and his talking to the plants to help them grow with only some talking back though not with words. Of note was the way Treebeard speaks here and at later dates where his English improved quite a bit over time. For a person in his 800’s, you can tell the channeling sessions had a big influence in bringing him out of his inner thoughts.) 

---

Treebeard: greetings.

Russ: greetings.

Treebeard: hello.

Russ: hello, are you the gardener of the base I take it?

Treebeard: as Tia and Mark call me……

Russ: the Man With the Can.

Treebeard: yes. This reminds me of a time…..oh, I was young.

Russ: hmmm.

Treebeard: long before my first rejuve. Do you know that you are over 80% water?

Russ: uh-huh.

Treebeard: like the cactus, water is hidden in many different places and forms.

Russ: hmmm, you and I met once.

Treebeard: yes.

Russ: well about almost 5 years ago.

Treebeard: that long ago?

Russ: uh-huh.

Treebeard: seems like yesterday.

Russ: it does seem like yesterday but yes, I came down and was checking out the plants.

Treebeard: yes, you were very impressed with hydroponics.

Russ: uh-huh, I was very impressed with the work you’ve done. Is this where the water and plants and human bodies come from, the correlation between the three?

Treebeard: I would think so. It reminds me…..oh long ago when I was young before my first rejuve, I was......yes hmmm, long ago. Do you know that plants can grow under rock?

Russ: like moss you mean?

Treebeard: algae.

Russ: algae oh yes.

Treebeard: I think you would call it 2 mm……

Russ: uh-huh.

Treebeard: your measurement? Plant life can exist and under ice. I remember back home, a spring long ago.

Russ: hmm, a question for you.

Treebeard: yes.

Russ: why is it that you cannot grow the flowers in a controlled environment?

Treebeard: all flowers grow.

Russ: I mean the flowers that you eat.

Treebeard: oh, those.

Russ: those yes.

Treebeard: there are too many different factors.

Russ: oh really?

Treebeard: many different factors.

Russ: and you cannot copy those same factors that they grow in....

Treebeard: no it is…...

Russ: in an artificial environment.

Treebeard: it is too controlled.

Russ: oh really?

Treebeard: if we tried here, you need the certain thin atmosphere with the right amount of radiated heat. Also, you need the right amount of snow depth. This year was like a year…..oh I remember.

Russ: so you’d have to have actually it’s own little greenhouse almost with snowfall and everything to make that happen, it would be a dedicated project.

Treebeard: yes, long ago I remember it well. It was as good as…..sorry, what was I talking about?

Russ: oh the flowers?

Treebeard: flowers yes.

Russ: edible flowers.

Treebeard: yes, I remember the flowers. This year’s harvest was as good as the harvest I remember the spring of my first rejuve.

Russ: ahh, that would be the pink flowers I take it?

Treebeard: yes, that would be my 9th daughter came from that.

Russ: umm, which reminds me, happy birthday.

Treebeard: when?

Russ: oh a little while ago. I think it was….

Treebeard: oh yes, yes.

Russ: yes, I wrote it down in our chronicles that we have here on our planet.

Treebeard: hmm, you are a chroniclist?

Russ: uh-huh, yes and we chronicled your birthday.

Treebeard: yes.

Russ: and celebrated it down here you might say.

Treebeard: do you know the human body is 80% water?

Russ: I’ve heard that yes.

Treebeard: hmm.

Russ: I try to drink much as I can too.

Treebeard: yes, yes, water.

Russ: hmmm.

Treebeard: plants are interesting things.

Russ: have you had a chance to talk with plants?

Treebeard: I talk to the plants all the time. Some talk back, others, no word.

Russ: hmm, what’s the difference in why they do that?

Treebeard: feelings.

Russ: really? More plants have more feelings you might say than others?

Treebeard: some, some.

Russ: for example, a plant that talks and the planet that doesn’t talk.

Treebeard: plants that talk are not plants. Feelings of comfort are what plants talk.

Russ: ahh, I see. So when you water them, a big emotional kind of thanks?

Treebeard: in the way yes. Hmmm, yes flowers, the flowers no, it is too many different factors that go into the……..yes that was a nice year. Ahhh, I shall never see the likes again. She does well you know, my daughter.

Russ: does she now?

Treebeard: yes.

Russ: do you talk to her at all?

Treebeard: yes.

Russ: hmm, has she visited the base?

Treebeard: yes.

Russ: and how did she like it?

Treebeard: didn’t.

Russ: why not?

Treebeard: too confined for her.

Russ: ohhh, it’s a beautiful base.

Treebeard: she is a botanist.

Russ: oh really?

Treebeard: likes big, wide open spaces. Suffers a little of claustrophobia.....

Russ: oh yes.

Treebeard: not good on here.

Russ: but your garden must have been rather enlightening for her?

Treebeard: yes, yes.

Russ: it almost gives a freedom of space.

Treebeard: yes, my little home.

Russ: indeed, I’m glad you’re able to come and chat with me this evening.

Treebeard: yes, I must attend to my bladder.

Russ: ahh, well thank you for helping me out with my answers....or questions.

Treebeard: hmm flowers yes………80% water.

Russ: uh-huh.

Treebeard: hmm.