Festival of the Trees December 2010

The tall Oak with branches covered in Spanish Moss lives in Beaufort , South Carolina.

I love feeling the sun and wind on my face. I stood under this tree and felt the sun and wind on my face...and what else was that I was feeling? An eeriness...I could not put my fingers on it.... was it a ghostly specter? I do know that there is a ghostly air in Beaufort....

from Beaufort...

Rebecca
www.ayearwiththetrees.blogspot.com

November 16 - Mango

The Mango Fruit

Rebecca

November 13 - Mimosa - Albizia julibrissin

The Mimosa Tree

Photo By Kurt Stüber  

www.creativecommons.org/licenses, via Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Albiza_julibrissin0.jpg

From Tremont ....

Hi everyone.

I am in the Smokey Moutain National Park, at Tremont, www.gsmit.org this weekend.  The class I am taking is called Mammals of the Southern Appalachian Mountains.  There are the most incredible mammals in the park. 65 different species.  I will be doing a report on the Beaver this morning.  The tail is so amazing!!!  This photo shows a tree that a beaver chewed down to sharpen his teeth and to probably make a damn.  These mammals are called nature's engineers.  They can create new ecosystems single handedly.  Stream to pond to meadow, nature's engineers at work.

I will be updating my trees as soon as I get back to Asheville!!

Peace from the Smokey Mtn. National Park,

Rebecca

"Beavers are making a comeback in Cades Cove.
Once a common site in Cades Cove, beaver were all but eliminated from the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The fashion of beaver hats at the beginning of the twentieth century once threatened many populations of beaver in the United States, including those in the Great Smoky Mountains. Fortunately, beavers are making a recovery in Cades Cove as they are migrating from an area of North Carolina where they were reintroduced into that ecosystem."

http://www.cadescove.net/wildlife_cades_cove.html

November 1 - The Apple Tree - Malus domestica

The Apple Tree

The Apple Tree

The Apple Tree

This Apple tree lives in West Virginia at the Pipestem State Park at the bottom of the gorge.  www.pipestemresort.com

If you ever find yourself with some time to go on an adventure, go to Pipestem State Park. I believe you will love this place. You can hike to the bottom of the gorge, which is 3.5 miles; or you can take the tram to the bottom of the gorge. At the bottom of the gorge, there is a small inn and restaurant. The beauty this fall was breathtaking. It is our very own Southern Appalachian Grand Canyon.

Pipestem State Park

Quote:

“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.” Martin Luther

Rebecca,

Weeping Willow - Salix babylonica

The Weeping Willow Tree

The Weeping Willow Tree

This incredible Weeping Willow tree lives at Camp Rockmont, where I am attending the SE Women's Herbal Conference. I had a class with Suki Roth today. She talked of the powerful medicine in the Weeping Willow.  We talked about how Weeping Willow vinegar can be prepared from the new spring leaves. 

Rebecca

Pear Tree - Pyrus communis

The Pear Tree

The Pear Tree

This amazing tree that lives beside my house gave us many pears this year.  They were delicious!  We enjoyed them in smoothies and in salads and on their own.  They were green and light brown with some spots, and were mostly pear shaped.  They tasted crisp, sweet and juicy; as of today, they are all off the tree now.  We waited for each pear to fall on its own and then we picked them off the ground.  There are two left in my kitchen. 

I have been taking a class this week about Ecologist Aldo Leopold.  This evening the class went out into the woods to do a lesson in the Aldo Leopold style.  We sat and listened to the night.  We started out and read his essay, Choral Copse, and then just sat in silence and took in the night.  We all talked about what we heard tonight.  The sounds are so very different at night in September then the sounds of summer.  Tonight, the sounds of insects filled the air.  We also heard owls and crows and acorns falling on the ground.  Take a moment yourself and go outside and listen.  Really listen.  What do you hear? 

Rebecca

Quaking Aspen - Populus tremuloides

Populus tremuloides - Quaking Aspen

The Quaking Aspen Tree

The Quaking Aspen Tree

This Quaking Aspen tree lives at the Botanical Gardens Of Asheville. 

Rebecca

The Coconut Palm - Cocos nucifera

Coconut Palm



The Coconut Palm Tree.  Photo by Robert Priddy

This amazing Coconut Palm tree lives in Curacao.

Rebecca

Crape Myrtle - Lagerstroemia

The Crape Myrtle

The Crape Myrtle in the Summer

Rebecca

The Dogwood Tree - Imagine Forgivenss

The Spring Dogwood Tree in April

The spring dogwood is in full bloom today. This tree is so beautiful. 

When I visited the winter Dogwood in January, the tree spoke to me of imagination.

When I visited the spring Dogwood in April, the tree spoke to me of forgiveness.

When I combine these words it is - imagine forgiveness. Imagine how the world would be if all of us lived a life of forgiveness.

Forgiveness is the path of peace.

The spring dogwood tree is filled with white or pink flowers with four large petals. There are marks of red or white and a center of yellow. The legend of the dogwood relates the dogwood to the Easter story of Jesus. I encourage everyone to read the story for yourselves.

"To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return, you will receive untold peace and happiness."
~ Robert Muller