The Morton Arboretum, located not far from my home, cleverly describes itself as an Outdoor Museum of Woody Plants. In plain English, that means it is a 1,700-acre privately held and maintained forest preserve containing hundreds (perhaps thousands) of species of trees.

Its forests, intertwined with narrow roads, provide a convenient low-traffic place to sneak a quick bicycle ride into my busy schedule if I manage to get away from the office before sundown.

The Arboretum is open to the public for a nominal admission fee, with unlimited access for members. To take maximum advantage of this nearby treasure I’ve been a member for many years. How many years? Well, more than 10…and therein hangs this month’s tale.