Sending Seeds to the Moon

In Philadelphia's Washington Square Park there is a scraggly sycamore tree surrounded by a gate and plaque. The tree was grown from a seed carried to the moon and back. Every day people stop and read about the Moon Tree, they take photos, comment on space travel and move on.

Recently I watched a small group of children on a field trip stop at the tree. One little girl, hoisted herself up on the gate, leaned over and pressed her face to the trunk. After a moment, she stood back on the ground, looked at her friends and matter-of-factly said: "Well, It just doesn't smell like the moon."

That was several weeks ago, ever since she's had me wondering just what the moon smells like and I have to admit, after her group wandered off I stealthily walked over and gave the tree a little sniff.