the Greens

Every summer the lake seemed to become fuller. Tova specifically remembered that last summer, the water only touched the root of the first oak tree to the left of the dock. Now, a good portion of the tree's bottom half was immersed in the glorious liquid. She dipped her fingers in it breaking the surface and creating a milky and shiny pattern that traveled to the tree. The Greens were particularly aware of their natural surroundings, quite literally. Grandpa Jed once spotted a black bear a mile away during a family camping trip, and it was nearly dark out! And Uncle Lukey often knew the right spot on any body of water where the fish would always bite. Tova loved it, the strange closeness her family had to this blue and green world. If her family name's sake didn't speak any louder, she didn't know what would. For three summer's straight during her elementary years, Tova learned to tend to and grow a sustainable garden and eventually taught the whole program to the next coming set of green thumbs. In fifth grade, she managed to memorize the scientific names and appearance of 78 types of trees, 56 types of flowers and just for fun, 40 types of birds. Loren Green was proud of her daughter's unprecedented achievements at such a tender age, however, less impressed at her daughter's overabundance of terrariums in the house. Though constantly tended to and organized, there wasn't enough space for the miniature Japanese gardens which Loren loved so much.