Five Minute Friday - Tree

 

I look forward to Fridays here in blog world.  Why?  Because on Friday’s I silence the inner critic. The loudest of all my naysayers. And on Fridays I remind myself that what I write is for me and loves me and welcomes me and I hope it turn does the same for you.  Lisa Jo's Blog has given me a place where my words are safe and all is at peace in bloggerdom.  So come and write with us. Together. On one word for five minutes. And then link up your post up on Lisa Jo's blog by clicking here, or leave it in the comments. But remember, the one must rule here is that you visit the person who linked up before you and encourage them in their writing.  That’s it. The gift of encouragement – pass it on.  All the back story and details for how to play along are over here.
Today the word is the one that Lisa Jo heard in the echo of her dad’s voice all the way from South Africa yesterday afternoon.  Today the word is TREE.

Go:
I grew up in South Florida.  There were trees and I loved them.  The melalueca was fun to play with a child.  The palm trees were fun to climb. Our next door neighbor, Mr. Gunnell had glorious palm trees and other fruit bearing trees in his yard.  It was a child's paradise.   But even as a child I missed the color I read about in books and heard others talk about. 

It is fall here in Alabama and my favorite time of the year because the trees put on their colorful finest and invite me to their party.  I drive an hour each way to work and the road I drive is a rural road....filled with the wonder of trees, barns, pastures, color, beauty.  I love my ride.  Right now just outside of Daviston there is a gorgeous sugar maple in full bloom.  In the morning the sun rising makes this tree appear to be on fire.  It is gorgeous.  Just down the road is a red maple that is splendid.  I LOVE fall trees! 

Trees - another tree I love is a Christmas Tree.  My kids got a special ornament each year when they were young.  I did too.  Each ornament on my tree has a story.  I love to decorate with someone so I can share those stories as we put the ornaments on the tree.  My favorite thing to do is, after decorating, cut all the house lights off, sit and listen to Christmas music and drink hot chocolate after all the work is done and just bask in the beauty of the tree.  I love a real tree but have had to settle for a fake one due to allergies.

Trees - Easter is one of my favorite times of the year and one tree that makes makes Easter possible is the tree that was used for the death of Christ.  Scholars don't know what kind of tree it was, yet legend says it was the dogwood.  The blooms on the dogwood are shaped like the cross.  I love the few weeks in spring when dogwoods bloom. 

Trees - The last tree that is important to me is a family tree.  I love dabbling in family history.  My favorite part is searching cemetaries, gathering pictures, noting stories.  My cousins are all into the tree structure too.  Together we build the root system of our family.