Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Sweet Gum Trees/Vested Interest

This is the sweet gum tree at the Monastery. You walk beneath it on the walkway to the church. I have a picture of the church as my header photo just now. ( Tree photo taken in May of 2013, church photo is from Jan. 4th, 2014!) This may not be the largest sweet gum tree in the state but it is the biggest one I have ever seen!

 
Sweet gum tree in our front yard, in the Fall of 2012.

 Same sweet gum tree which is a different view, it is the view from our front door! Isn't it lovely! Do you notice there are bits of almost black leaves and some red ones, what amazing colors!  The sweet gum tree is a native tree to this area, but I notice that when we went on a nature hike at Panola Mountain State Park, the park ranger didn't give this tree much respect.  Can anyone tell me why that is?  My husband and I love this tree.  Of course, there are many who also don't like English ivy, but it is wonderful in a pot, it does really well as a hanging basket, especially if you remember to keep it watered. And you know that Richard always does!
Sorry, I have not been able to visit all of your wonderful blogs lately!  I have been trying to crochet a vest for a baby about to turn one year old! Since I couldn't find a vest pattern, I am making it up myself.  This is a very risky thing for me to do, about on a par with most people jumping out of an airplane.  Really!  Wish me luck!


Happy Birthday, Brayden! Hope the vest looks as cute on you as this cap I made for you as an infant!

27 comments:

  1. If the cap is any indication, your vest will be darling! I've been busy too! I get where you are at! The sweet gum tree at the monastery is magnificent. In Nova Scotia, Queen Anne's lace is a basically a weed that runs amok ~ Here in Colorado they're sold in florist shops! It's all perspective. Hope you've had a great hump day! *hugs*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If my vest turns out okay, I will let you see it. If not, it might not even make it to the baby!
      Sunflowers are very popular as a cut flower in England, put they once were considered too weedy for a cut arrangement in the USA! (Different now, I know.) Have a great week!

      Delete
  2. There are probably no sweet gum trees here in Germany, but I suppose they are in the same botanical family as maples and platanes; at least their leaves look similar.

    Will Brayden model the vest as nicely as he did the cap?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Guess what, Meike, I found a photo of sweet gum trees around the base of the Eiffel Tower! So happy to see those familiar star shaped leaves! They might not be native, but someone must of liked the look of them and planted them there!
      If the vest turns out decently, you will see Brayden model it!

      Delete
  3. I do like trees that put on a good display for autumn, and the sweet gum tree clearly does that.
    I too would like to see Brayden modelling his vest; he looks very cute in his cap.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had been looking at past photos and liked these sweet gum photos. I think I am missing leaves on trees!
      So happy to see your comment here, Tracey! Hope you are having a good year so far!!

      Delete
  4. Sweet baby.

    I remember the trees in Georgia - we were there once in your Fall - beautiful colours and so much of it.

    Please help: Fundy Blue says "Have a great hump day." Over here we say "I have really got the hump". Meaning - I am fed up - miserable - not depressed but just out of sorts with the world and yourself.

    Hope you are feeling back to normal" after being so poorly. xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes! Our Fall or Autumn as you call it is magical, it truly is, we have so many trees, I truly apreciate the color!!
      I remember my mother-in-law using "hump" in that way. Here, it just means "Wednesday", it is the middle of the week you see, getting over the hump of the week, I suppose. So funny how our words are used in such different ways. I have spent 31 years married to a Brit, so believe me, I know!
      Thanks for your well wishes, I think it takes longer to get over things the older you get. Oh well! :-)

      Delete
  5. That's a cute cap for the baby and I am sure the vest will look just as nice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! And his Mom is so sweet, even if it looks like a mini-rug, she will let him wear it anyway!! :-)

      Delete
  6. Oh, what a sweet baby! I love the cap and can't wait to see the vest. I was just reading something yesterday from our local Audobon Society saying NOT to plant English Ivy because it's not native and not great for birds. Hmmm.... LOVE your sweet gum tree!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Audrey!
      And you are certainly right, English ivy just takes over and it it certainly is not native! However, it is wonderfully contained in a pot!!
      And you know I am a huge fan of the Audubon Society, we are proud members!
      Happy you like our sweet gum! It was a volunteer, but now it is as tall as the cherry trees which have been there for years! Perhaps that is why folks don't like it, it spreads so much but hey, I think we need as many nice trees as possible. ANd the sweet gum IS native! xx

      Delete
  7. what a precious baby, best wishes for your endeavor. your header is awe-inspiring! what a grand church.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He IS precious and I also thank you for the best wishes for his little vest!
      I am thinking that I need to do a post about the Monastery again. Can you believe that this church was built all by hand by the monks and it is built from concrete? It's true, it's amazing to see it.
      Thanks for your comment! :-)

      Delete
  8. Good luck with the vest! As for sweet gum, i'm wondering if that's what the tree across the street is, it turns such lovely colors.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sweet gums are easy to spot, the star shaped leaves and the "meatball" type seed pods.
      Thanks for your well wishes, much appreciated and needed!

      Delete
  9. Brayden will be nice and warm in his new vest! Love the trees!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Syliva! I am sure you have sweet gums too! (Trees, I mean, which isn't to say that YOU personally don't have sweet gums! HA!)

      Delete
  10. Oh, Kay, I wish you the best of luck with this very creative and loving enterprise. I have a sweet gum in my front yard, but it does not seem to turn the beautiful colors I heard it was supposed to. I wonder if the climate has something to do with this. In my back yard there is a tupelo or sour gum which is glorious.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Kristi! I just hope it turns out well!
      I don't know all the trees that are around me, but I certainly know my sweet gums! This one in our yard did better color in 2012 than in 2013, maybe just a bit too much rain here? I'm not sure, still pretty though!

      Delete
  11. The right tree in the right place makes the world better!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Cuuuute! He is absolutely adorable! Your sweet gum tree looks just like a maple.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Kay! I would love to visit Hawaii, but I would miss Autumn if I lived there, I think! "-)

      Delete
    2. Yes, you would. You'd really miss spring also. I do.

      Delete
  13. I can see why you all are drawn to the tree--wonderful colors.

    Sounds like you are busy for sure, but for a great reason. Enjoy your weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! And the birthday party for Brayden will be on Sunday, and I am just noticing that the colors I have picked out are exactly the colors for the Seatlle Seahawks! Hey! Maybe I am seeing into the future and that means victory for that team! Only time will tell!!
      (What! You don't think I can predict sports by yarn colors I choose? It might happen! Be funny if it did!)

      Delete