Ask Jim Stitt to describe one of his trees and he won't say more than a few words before his hands start to explain for him. "As the branches are careening down," he says, his eyes following his arm ...

Jim Stitt stands in the beer aisle of the grocery store, his russet-colored jacket keeping him just warm enough a couple feet from the icy open fridge. A 30-something guy standing next to him darts ...