#1 Good-Luck Choice

With 2007 nearly half past – Forest Farms owed by Ray & Peg Prag, is wondering, how’s your Luck holding up? This Spring JW Research polled Americans to determine what you think could deliver the charmed, even enchanted life of the truly Lucky, or might contribute to a better tomorrow?

Americans agree with another, one of this planet’s oldest cultures, those Chinese, known to possesses the wisdom of the universe. Among Pacific Rim dictates, requirements for a fine life rely on but one unshakable conviction. It has survived, world-wide. It remains steadfast today… Okay, two convictions, driven by nearly religious fervor but if you go with the top, it fulfills some of the lesser. Important to your life, #1, attract the power of Luck, and #2 that positive energy of feng shui.

In the ‘Luck’ department, little overcomes fervent desire to own a Good Luck tree, sometimes known as a Money tree, even a small one. Such treasure, oft known as “Buddhist Pine” reportedly assures its owner the best.

lucky tree
Lucky tree

Many believe Luck the pine actually produces attracts good health, that wealth is a by-product of being healthy. Regardless of how that shakes out, what works, works.

Most of us already know wealth ain’t a result of intelligence. Forbes recently published research findings, convinced there is no connections between I.Q. and wealth. I can validate that with a quick glance at my own family tree.

Lucky trees, indigenous to Japan are so important to Chinese society they are now being stolen by tens of thousands. Their branches hacked off they are stacked on barges like cord wood for transport to China. In the past, few Chinese could afford a good Luck guarantee. Now during China’s new affluence its citizens cannot get enough promise of further prosperity promises.

To most, the term ‘prosperity’ equates with plenty of quality food, which generates physical well being, strength, stress-free mental health which allow the fortunate freedom to provide, thus offering several generations the privilege of maintaining a moneyed lifestyle.

Buddhist or luohansong pines belong to the Yew family, described by horticulturists as Podocarpus Macrophyllus they are sturdy, slow growing evergreens. Good news to go with that good luck if you get one is that you won’t have to buy a house full of new furniture for a feng shui arrangement. All you need is a Lucky tree.

The pines are admired for their elongated leaves that separate like thick flat needles allowing sunlight to pass and through this, they provide natural feng shui harmony. Rare and fleshy red seeds represent ‘disciples’ of the Buddha’ assuring its owner of never being improvised, this side of the grave.

Most Chinese once too poor to afford a live Luohansong, placed hope in plastic replicas. Something must have worked. Today those tiny fake trees are quickly being replaced by live versions albeit many still small, popular among apartment dwellers. Potted pines luckily grow slow but before getting so large residents have to move or can sell one for a Christmas tree, removing from soil, a root-ball prune turns the little beauty into Bonsai life and the Luck lives on.

To test the validity of Good Luck pines, I contacted 14 American nurseries looking for a Lucky tree. Finally a kind humanitarian named Dave at http://davesgarden.com recommended 3 Asian Nurseries and sent web links to all.

Finally Forest Farm www.forestfarm.com proved fruitful, offering knowledgeable information, excellent prices on two different size trees, followed by good service with quick out-of-state delivery. Am certain their trees are domestic, not stolen, mine said so. Yes, I chat with my plants. I had the engineer next door give my tree a new-home pep-talk about not going into transport-transplant shock. He says my Luohansong doesn’t know Japanese.

Will it deliver Luck for me? So far, so good. I wasn’t unlucky before, it only arrived 3 days ago.

When I win the lottery, dear readers, you will be kept posted, that’s a promise. It should happen soon, now that I have a Good Luck tree.

After all, Leonardo di Vinci was a tree man, did OK – discovered bark rings reveal age, painted himself into world history so we know how lucky Leo was – well … except for that ear thing …

Claudia Strasbaugh was a freelance writer who founded Scripps Ranch/Mira Mesa Writer’s Guild, was head writer for the weekly TV show “Kill ‘EM With Comedy,” plus California Bureau Chief for National Lotto World Magazine. Claudia also ran a nonprofit called Dinner On A Dollar. Sadly, Claudia passed away in 2015, but we are pleased to display her writing works.