Saturday, April 18, 2015

Fringe Tree- Arabia Mountain/ Monastery


Thanks for the well wishes for my April birthday!  My Dad has a birthday coming up soon and so, this morning, I visited the gift shop at the Monastery to buy my Dad a few presents....

There was a misty rain falling and as I walked near the gift shop building, there was a sight that stopped me in my tracks.  It was a tree, not just any tree...but it was the same tree that I had seen blooming on the top of Arabia Mountain!  It was a fringe tree.  Oh my, what a beauty.  You may read more about the fringe tree in an article that I found in the Southern Living Magazine, it is entitled "The Best Native Tree That No One Knows", you may read it here.  (Chionanthus virginicus, Fringe Tree, Old Man's Beard or Grancy Greybeard...whatever you call it, I think it is lovely.)

When I was admiring the tree, one of the monks walked past me and I told him how pleased I was to see the fringe tree given such a prominent spot.  He told me that he didn't know what kind of tree that it was and that it was there when they built the building!  (The Monastery was built in the 1940's but the Gift Shop is fairly new.)  I love that they saved this native tree and gave it such a place of honor, very close to the front door! You see, the monks are like me...we might not know all the names of plants and trees but we know beauty when we see it!

Okey dokey, I told you it is a beautiful tree.  See if you agree...



Fringe Tree On Arabia Mountain-photo taken in the sun on April 11th.



This is a close up of the blossom on the fringe tree-taken in misty rain on April 12th.





 
 




If you are wondering what I got for my Dad at the gift shop from the Monastery... it was stone ground grits, some Virginia peanuts and a jar of FROG jam!  In case you think that last one is some kind of strange Southern food, it is simply jam made of Fig, Raspberry, Orange and Ginger!  The monk in the shop told me that the jam is one of their biggest sellers!

If you notice, I have a post about the Monastery on the side of my blog...it is my most viewed post!  The Monastery is a place of great beauty and peace and I am thankful that it is close to me ...and the Monastery is just down the road from Arabia Mountain!

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32 comments:

  1. Emma SpringfieldApril 18, 2015 at 11:47 PM

    I learn so much from you. I now know about fringe trees.

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    1. Kay G.April 20, 2015 at 7:32 PM

      Thanks! Let's all plant fringe trees! I love trees, I wish I knew all of their names.

      Delete
  2. Betsy Banks AdamsApril 18, 2015 at 11:53 PM

    Hi There, So nice that you came to my blog. Yes---I do love my Backyard Birds...My "Bird Kitchen" is on my deck (had an arbor built for it)---so I can watch the birds from INSIDE and that helps me get great pictures.

    We have been to Toccoa Falls ---and loved it. If I remember correctly, there's a small college there.

    We are also Episcopalians... Actually, I'm Methodist --but go to church with my hubby who loves the Episcopal Church.

    The monastery looks like a neat place to visit. LOVE that tree. SO unique. That FROG Jam sounds delicious...

    Hope you come back to my blog. I will return to yours.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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    1. Kay G.April 20, 2015 at 7:36 PM

      Hello Betsy!
      We have a lot in common! And yes, you are correct, there is a college at Toccoa Falls!
      You would love the Monastery, it is a place of great natural beauty. The birds and butterflies love it!
      You will see me again, I am your newest follower! :-)

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  3. LibrarianApril 19, 2015 at 2:27 AM

    The fringe tree is wonderful, and you have given us the perfect set of pictures for it: one "big" one which shows the tree nearly entirely, a close up of its blossoms and then a "mid-distance" one.
    Love the title of the article, "The Best Native Tree That No One Knows" - isn't it funny how familiar things surround us but are often fairly unknown, taken for granted in a way? But I am sure even those "unknown" things would be sorely missed if they were gone from our environment!

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    1. Kay G.April 20, 2015 at 7:38 PM

      Thanks, Meike! Richard took the sunny day photo and I took the next two misty morning photos!
      We have so many trees, I do hope to find out many more in my lifetime!

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  4. Scriptor SenexApril 19, 2015 at 2:55 AM

    What a delightful tree. The flowers look a bit like the seed-heads of some Clematis - also called Old Man's Beard.

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    1. Kay G.April 20, 2015 at 7:44 PM

      That is interesting!
      You should have seen me looking at that tree with such great delight...I bet the monk thought I was one crazy lady! :-)

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  5. LeeApril 19, 2015 at 4:22 AM

    That jam sounds absolutely delicious! Ask your Dad to send me some toast spread with it! I hope he has a very Happy Birthday, Kay. :)

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    1. Kay G.April 20, 2015 at 7:46 PM

      Hey Lee!
      Oh, you can bet that he will have it on a hot biscuit. I haven't told you this, but my Dad makes the BEST biscuits in all the South. I am not kidding, ask anyone who has had one!
      And thanks very much for best wishes for his birthday!! :-)

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  6. blueskyscotlandApril 19, 2015 at 6:46 AM

    Tree looks a winner. Jam sounds lovely.

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    1. Kay G.April 20, 2015 at 7:47 PM

      The blooms are just so feathery and pretty! And that jam, my Dad will laugh about the name, I know he will get a kick out of it.

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  7. messymimiApril 19, 2015 at 9:57 AM

    Such a beautiful tree, you are right! Now i'll be keeping an eye out for them, see if any grow around here.

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  8. Debra She Who SeeksApril 19, 2015 at 11:31 AM

    I really enjoyed the video about the Monastery, thanks! I have always been drawn to monastic sacred space, with its peace and spiritual atmosphere. And hey, FROG jam sounds really delicious despite its name!

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    1. Kay G.April 20, 2015 at 7:51 PM

      Debra, you would LOVE the Monastery, I know you would. And then, you can just drive a short distance and you are at Arabia Mountain. It is amazing to have those two so close together.

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  9. John MApril 19, 2015 at 11:48 AM

    The monastery is peaceful.
    I'd love to try the Frog jam.

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    1. Kay G.April 20, 2015 at 7:54 PM

      Hey John!
      Remember the post that I did about the Monastery and I did a link to your post? (It is on the side of my blog as the top visited post). It is my most visited post, I am amazed at how many look at it.

      Delete
  10. JulieApril 19, 2015 at 12:47 PM

    The tree is beautiful as is the monastery. Happy belated birthday - sorry I missed it. x

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    1. Kay G.April 20, 2015 at 7:55 PM

      Hey Julie! No worries, I am accepting birthday wishes with great appreciation! xx

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  11. Thickethouse.wordpressApril 19, 2015 at 1:41 PM

    A beautiful tree....I see one very rarely up this far north, at least I think I do.....Had not realized it was a native tree and am so glad it was spared when the gift shop was built and that you blogged about it. The monastery is truly beautiful and you are lucky to have it so near to you.

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    1. Kay G.April 20, 2015 at 7:59 PM

      In that article, it said it grows from Canada all the way to the Gulf Coast, so you should have it! Let me know if you see one!
      We are lucky to have the Monastery near us!

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  12. Mrs. MicawberApril 19, 2015 at 6:16 PM

    What a gloriously beautiful tree - I can see why you like it so much!

    A very happy belated birthday to you, Kay, and happy future birthday to your Dad! I hope he enjoys his FROG jam. (I don't suppose they sell TOE jam too? Let's see, what could the letters stand for ... tamarind, orange ... the E has me stumped.)

    :)

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    1. Kay G.April 20, 2015 at 8:01 PM

      Hey Sue!
      Thanks for the birthday wishes for me and for my Dad!!
      TOE Jam? Tamarind, orange and maybe...elderberry? Let's start our own business! :-)

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  13. AudreyApril 19, 2015 at 8:27 PM

    HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY, KAY!!! One of my favorite April birthdays!!!! Hope you had a beautiful day. I love the pictures of the fringe tree ~ really quite amazing. Still hoping to see it in person one day....with you would be even better!!! :-) XOXO

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    1. Kay G.April 20, 2015 at 8:04 PM

      THANK YOU to my one of MY favoirites!!
      Look for the fringe tree and see if you recognize it!
      Yes! You MUST get to this neck of the woods, it's not that far away!
      Lovely to see your comment here, Audrey. Hope you and yours are well and happy. xx

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  14. Starry DawnApril 19, 2015 at 8:55 PM

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KAY!!
    THANK YOU FOR VISITING MY BLOG & EXPRESSING
    YOUR HEARTFELT THOUGHTS ABOUT MY DEAR CAT,
    WHO RECENTLY DEPARTURE INTO ETERNITY!
    WELCOME ABOARD, SWEETHEART!
    HOPE, PEACE & LOVE,
    POET STARRY.

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    1. Kay G.April 20, 2015 at 8:06 PM

      Thank you!
      You have a lovely blog. I was so sorry to read of your loss of your sweet kitty. You wrote about it in such a moving way.
      I love your positive attitude towards life. We need more like you!
      Peace to you always,
      Kay

      I am your newest follower!! :-)

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  15. JimApril 20, 2015 at 6:45 PM

    Hello Kay. So nice to 'see' you recently at my blog.
    What a beautiful sanctuary you have near you. I watched the video and it brought back a flood of memories, good ones, I could almost remember all the Latin words to that hymn. thanks for sharing this.
    Now to that tree!! What a beauty! So feathery. Looks almost like it could be found in Asia.

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    1. Kay G.April 20, 2015 at 8:11 PM

      Hello Jim!
      I am so glad you liked the video. They have built the new visitor center since that video was made, but the church is exactly the same. When you are there for a service and the monks begin chanting, the cares of the modern world just melt away and you can feel the peace surrounding you and the serenity of it all is overwhelming.
      I love that you like the tree too! It says that it is found in Canada too, so let me know if you see it, okay? :-)

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  16. AdullamiteApril 22, 2015 at 2:44 AM

    Happy birthday - again!

    Lovely tree whatever it is, and excellent photos also.

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  17. KayApril 24, 2015 at 2:00 AM

    Happy belated birthday, Kay! I LOVE that fringe tree. The flowers are so delicate. I wish we could have it in Hawaii.

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