Dogwood Trees/ Poinsettias



Do you know the legend of the Dogwood tree?  On our hike up Panola Mountain on Saturday, the dogwood trees were in full bloom and were gorgeous. Some of the people on this hike did not know this tree and they did not know its connection to Easter.  

At the time of the crucifixion, the dogwood had reached the size of the mighty oak tree. So strong and firm was the wood that it was chosen as the timber for Jesus' cross.
     To be used for such a cruel purpose greatly distressed the dogwood. While nailed upon it, Jesus sensed this, and in his compassion said. "Because of your pity for my suffering, never again shall the dogwood tree grow large enough to be used for a cross. Henceforth, it shall be slender, bent, and twisted, and its blossoms shall be in the form of a cross–two long and two short petals.      "In the center of the outer edge of each petal will be the print of nails. In the center of the flower, stained with blood, will be a crown of thorns so that all who see it will remember."


When I saw that date for Easter this year, I thought that the Dogwood trees would be long past blooming, but that was not so: the trees have been blooming for weeks now but they were at their peak on Easter Sunday.  Perfect.

The crown like center in the middle are really the flowers, the petals are the bracts.  This should remind you of the plant associated with Christmas, the poinsettia. It is the same, the middle part would be the tiny flowers and the red part that most would think of as the flower are really the bracts.   Joel R. Poinsett brought this plant back from Mexico.  You should click on that link and read about him, I knew that the poinsettia was named after him, but I had no idea what a fascinating man he truly was...if I were a movie maker, I would make a movie about him! 
Recently, Meike from her blog in Germany showed us some beautiful flowers from the gardens at Ludwigsburg Palace and they were called Euphorbia.  The poinsettia must be related to those same flowers as the poinsettia is Euphorbia pulcherrima!

Today is the anniversary of the birth of William Shakespeare. (That is how my church would say it, so much better than saying "birthday", don't you think?)  Tomorrow, is my Dad's 87th birthday!  My Dad played a nice game on Sunday of tossing a few beanbags (strict rules...27 feet from the target!), the game is called Cornhole!  I got that darn beanbag into the hole ONCE and ONCE only!  AHHH!! How in the world did I ever do it? God only knows!

 See the wood box beside my Dad in the photo above?  There is another one just like it EXACTLY 27 feet away and that is what he is aiming for! 

"My glass shall not persuade me I am old".  
 Happy Birthday, Daddy!