No matter where I am in the house, a quick glance through a door or window reminds me that I’m surrounded by a bounty of trees. It’s especially evident now with the trees showing off their autumn colors.

We have a tall, stately water oak in our back yard. He’s still holding onto his leaves, reluctant to stand naked for all the world to see. Our prized trees though, stand in the front yard. Two Mediterranean olive trees! We got them at Lowe’s early last summer. Both trees produced olives this year! They were tiny, to be sure, but they were fruit, nonetheless. I’m looking forward to harvesting full-sized olives and pressing them for their oil.

Did you know that we, in Alabama, have “moon trees”? Apollo 14 took 500 Loblolly pine seeds to the moon back in 1971. The seeds germinated when they got back to Earth and NASA gave them to the Forest Service. We now have them growing at the Botanical Gardens in Birmingham, at Ivy Green in Tuscumbia, and the Pioneer Museum of Alabama in Troy. The one in this picture is planted in the grounds of the Capitol building in Montgomery.

Now that we’ve moved out of the city we’re surrounded by trees. Oaks, elms, poplars, and of course, pines. As a result, our yard is now covered by leaves. I love the crunching sound they make as I walk through them. I love that, after chopping and composting, they will help to fertilize my vegetables and flowers. Mother Nature has blessed us abundantly!

I can go on and on about our trees. No one though, can talk about trees like the author of my favorite poem, Joyce Kilmer. Read it, and enjoy!

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the sweet earth’s flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree.

U.S.D.A. Forest Service Webcam Image

Nothing I can say could improve on that!

As you’re wandering around on the internet, why not pay me a visit by clicking this link for Amazon and pick up a copy of New Yesterdays. While you’re at it, pick up a few copies as stocking stuffers!

Thank you again, all of  you, for stopping by my blog, and I hope to hear from you all!