I’ve been blessed to live among trees my entire life. A huge variety grow in my mountain holler.

The stately black walnuts are something to see anytime of the year. Their straight tall trunks make me think of strength and there’s the added benefit of the tasty nut they produce.

Several varieties of pine trees make up the woods around our house. I love the soft billowy look of new growth on white pines, yet they grow way too fast and fall way too often.

Maples put on a real show this time of the year with their fall garments.

I love the mitten leaves of sassafras and star shaped sweet gum leaves.

Poplars are awful pretty too with their smooth trunk and sky scraper height.

Dogwoods and sarvis welcome spring of the year with their beautiful white blooms.

Post, white, and chestnut oak give mast for the animals and wood for our heater.

There’s cherry, hickory, persimmon, witch hazel, sour wood, holly, ash and others.

I love them all.

There’s four trees that are hugged up close to our house that are extry special.

A lone locust that we decided to leave many years ago now towers over part of the backyard.

One apple tree remains from three Miss Cindy bought me for mother’s day. It doesn’t ever produce more than a bucket of apples, but it offers a shady spot to sit.

Hemlocks grow up the creek in profusion. When we first moved into our house Pap and I tramped up the creek and came home with a bucket full of saplings. One remains. It’s a tough tree. It’s survived being moved more than once in its early life and overcame the wooly adelgid.

What Pap called a sweet birch sprouted out back of the house just up the edge of the bank. You can see it in the photo just behind the chairs.

I convinced Matt to leave it when we were clearing the bank one year way back. It’s grown slow and looks sort of haggard but it continues to leaf out every year and bring me joy. Its shade makes a dandy place to hide from the hot summer sun. From it’s spring green garments and dangly catkins to the yellow leaves that form a carpet of gold each fall it’s become my favorite tree.

Last night’s video: Fall Garden Tour in the Appalachian Mountains.

Tipper

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