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Ornamental

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It was hard to choose on this debate but, I wanted to write because I love trees, period. As Joyce Kilmer wrote, "I think that I shall never see, a poem as lovely as a tree......"

The great Oak trees in my great grandmother's yard provided shade for us kids in the summer time while we played among the roots, building rooms and what not between them. But, the trees also were gorgeous and the roots so above the ground, it would be hard to say how old they were.

The Magnolia trees were the same but, lent such a wonderful fragrance from the lovely white blossoms mingled with some gardenias that had been there for ages.

She and my great granddaddy would sit in their rockers on the veranda, which would be nice and shady all day long, and watch us children play or just sit there and wait for a car to pass their house, so they could discuss who that might have been. Whoever it was, always waved and would sometime stop, if they had the time.

Then, we would be sent home before dark so we could help my granddaddy feed the farm animals.

The way home was down a dirt road that was lined with all kinds of trees but, mostly oak and pine. When we came to a curve in the road, there would be the stump of the 'big oak' which was hit by lightening and split down the middle some years ago. Plum and Peach trees lined one side of the lane that marked the entrance to my granddaddy's land and in the spring, it was like snow on that side of the lane they were so beautiful.

My grandmother and grandfather would be waiting for us outside on the veranda. Supper would be ready but, first we would feed the animals. Afterward, we would go outside and play if there was time left.

The mimosas would be asleep by that time but we would pretend we were applying makeup with the soft pink blossoms that so adorned this lovely tree. The chinaberry trees were really pretty in spring but, as summer went by and the mushy berries fell on the ground, they would squash between our toes and make for a nasty mess. However, they served double purpose as they lent some shade and the lavender wisteria used them to drape around when they visited, but, not long enough, in the spring. Of course, my grandmother had magnolias and she always told us to be very careful in picking a blossom for if you touch the white of it, it will turn brown.

As we sat on the veranda, we could look across a field of baby cotton plants, and see the most beautifully shaped pecan tree. The limbs were so full of leaves and just the shape of the tree, I will always remember. In the winter, walking in the field, you could see green mistletoe way up in the tree limbs. My granddaddy told us that the only way you would get the mistletoe would be to shoot it down with the rifle. One day, around Christmas, he came walking in with a bunch of it. He was grinning.

I have not told you about driving in the spring in the south. The woods are sprinkled with the white and pink dogwoods and redbud trees. As much as I love the dogwood, I have been told it does not do well when taken out of it original habitat so I never attempted to transplant one.

I love trees. I have seen the Joshua trees, weeping willows, water oak, silver maples that turn a brilliant red in the fall. All kinds of trees and I think the creation of them could have only been thought of by our wonderful Lord in that they are useful and ornamental.

The palms and evergreens outside my window glitter and glisten so when the wind blows, it is though they have been decorated with icycles and in the spring, the crabapples and Crawford pears have blossomed before you know it not to mention the bottle brush and eucalyptus.

We are all blessed with trees.

Learn more about this author, E. V. SHAW.
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