three little linden trees

Left, an uncanny likeness of me drawn by my accomplished goddaughter, Anna Pepper; right, a linden tree by my son Isaiah.

I have three trees, adopted. They are tilia cordata, Little-Leaf Linden or Small Leaf Lime. Or, according to the NYC Parks Department, from whom I adopted them, Little Lindens. 

A neighborhood mom posted on the local parent group a link to a site that allows users to adopt trees growing on the streets of NYC. After a few clicks on the Google map that incredibly maps all the trees New York City (and identifies the tree type as well!) I found that the three trees directly in front of my building were up for adoption. According to the map, most trees in NYC seem to be up for adoption. However, within one-block radius of our home, three trees had already been adopted: a Japanese Pagoda, a Chinese All Elm, and a Callery Pear. Before I adopted the Linden trees I wanted to go outside and check to make sure there were really three identical trees in the place the map claimed. But it was past midnight and everyone was asleep; it would make sense to wait till morning. I literally laid in bed last night fretting that someone would adopt the three Little Lindens before I could. I relayed my worry to my already-asleep husband who, still asleep, suggested that we invite the trees to breakfast in the morning. Charles' first instinct is always hospitality.