A Tree of Plymouth #ThursdayTreeLove

Along the waterfront of Plymouth, Massachusetts, where we visited last week, were these wonderful, heavily pruned trees with small, fragrant flowers.

In a local park, I saw a majestic specimen of the same tree.

They reminded me of the linden trees we have where I live in the Southern Tier of New York State, except that there were no bracts alongside the flowers.  On our trees, the bracts appear when the flower buds appear.

Sorry about the strip of light in the middle of this photo.

My iPhone has a built in plant identifier in the Photos app, and it identified this tree as a "lime" tree. in one photo.  In the other, it indicated Chinese linden.

Here's a closeup of the flowers.

To us in the United States, lime trees produce...well, limes, the sour but otherwise delicious green citrus fruit.  Those trees are hardy only in several states, not including Massachusetts. They would die in any winter where I live and certainly in Plymouth, too.  But then, I remembered that in Europe what we call a basswood or linden is called a lime tree.

After further research, I suspect these trees are Chinese lindens.

And oh, did they ever smell good.

Joining Parul at Happiness and Food this second Thursday of the month for her #ThursdayTreeLove.

The Beauty of the Linden #ThursdayTreeLove

It's linden time.  

The linden trees are blooming where I live in the Southern Tier of New York, in the Northeast United States.

I try to blog about them every year because they are beautiful and have such a delicious scent for their small flowers.  But these pictures are new, taken yesterday.

When full grown, the linden is a majestic tree.   It is hardy in USDA zones three through eight.

This street in Binghamton, New York is lined with them.

Some call it the basswood tree.  Some in Europe call it the lime tree (not our lime citrus tree, whose name is derived from Arabic). Not only is it a beautiful shade tree, and able to survive urban conditions, but it is a multi use tree.

The wood is excellent for hand carving.

The inside of the bark was used by native Americans for making cords and ropes.

Its sap was used by the Native Americans the Europeans called Chippewa or Ojibwa in a way similar to maple syrup.

 

If you've ever had basswood honey,this is the tree bees make that from.

These trees can live up to 200 years.   I wouldn't be surprised if the trees on this street are over 50 years old as it is in an older neighborhood.

Joining Parul of Happiness and Food today for her #ThursdayTreeLove this fourth Thursday of June.

Tree Topping #WordlessWednesday

 Our local hospital is having a badly needed addition built.

 

This is what the building under construction looks like.  Do you see an evergreen on what will become the roof?  Maybe not - it's tiny in this view (taken from the road) but it's almost in the center of the photo.

Let's crop the photo and see the tree better.

My spouse wondered why the tree was there.  I knew the basic facts, but wanted to learn more.  Turns out this is called a "topping tree".  Hoisted with the top beam, it indicates the building has reached its final height.

Turns out that topping a building with a tree is an old custom, dating from at least 700 CE.  Some builders believe it will bring luck to those inhabiting the building when it is completed.

Since this will be occupied by a hospital, let's hope so.

Joining Sandee at Comedy Plus for #WordlessWednesday

The Golden Snowball #ThursdayTreeLove

Having grown up in the Northeast United States, the concept of someone never having seen snow is a little hard to imagine.  Snow has been a part of my life for all but two years of my seventy or so years on this planet (years I lived in Florida).

I have two first cousins who are natives of Florida, a state which rarely sees snow. They've lived most of their lives in Florida and still live there.  Even they have seen snow - one, when he lived for a time in my native New York State, and the other, because for a while she enjoyed the sport of snow skiing and would travel to places that (obviously) had snow.

But my blog has some readers who either have never seen snow in person, or had to travel distances just to see it.  They look forward to my pictures of snow and trees and I'm normally happy to oblige.

I can understand (I think) their love of snow pictures.   There's just something about snow that makes everything pretty, at least at first. But this year snow has played hard to get - until now.  So, finally:

(These pictures were taken Monday - we have more snow now.)

OK, it's a bush, but I'll call it a short tree.

Stretch to the sky!

You'll note all these trees and bushes are still green.  Not all our trees here lose their leaves and sleep through the winter.  These evergreens have narrow, needle like leaves coated in a wax, and have air pockets in their outer bark instead of liquid like many of our other trees do, so they can survive our winter without going through full dormancy (they are partially dormant).

Here's more on the science of winter survival of trees in our climate.

We've had two snowfalls this week (none major) and we have snow on the ground once again.  It's about to get a lot colder, too.

Which brings me to something called the Golden Snowball, a friendly competition between five cities in New York State for the most snowfall each year.   We here in the Binghamton, New York area don't win it too often - since I've lived here, only twice.  

If you go to the website I've linked to earlier in this paragraph, you can see there are some major totals so far for this winter (especially for Buffalo, which was paralyzed by an epic snowstorm last December.  To paralyze Buffalo with snow takes a lot of doing by Nature.)

Buffalo, officially, has 105 inches (that's 266.7 cm) of snow this year.  They are also noted for originating Buffalo style chicken wings. 

We in the Binghamton area average about 86 inches (218 cm) of snow in a year.  We are way behind this year so far.   (Our food?  Spiedies.)

Buffalo's going to win the 2022-23 Golden Snowball, I suspect.  As far as I'm concerned, they are welcome to the award.

Do you like snow? Hate it? Or: Are you someone who has never seen snow except in photos and movies?

Joining Parul at Happiness and Food for #ThursdayTreeLove.

Dated Tree Stump #ThursdayTreeLove

Even in death, trees have much to teach us. Here's a tree stump of a tree that was born in or near Ithaca, New York in approximately 1822.  It fell in 2010.   It can amaze us that this tree lived for almost 200 years.

This stump is on display in a visitors center at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

We have seen tree stumps, and we are aware that the growth rings give us information pertaining to rainfall (how far apart are the rings?). 

 

But trees also link us to our history.  This tree, born in 1822, may have seen soldiers marching off to our Civil War (1861-1865) pass it by.

Let's take a closer look at the rings and the labels of some historical events during the life of this tree.  The top label is "c1822", about when the tree was born, and the rings radiate out.

Just think...(sorry that these labels are hard to read):

This tree was around for the first radio transmission.

It saw Model T cars on the road (1908)

Perhaps someone who worked on the first electronic TV drove past that tree (1927).  Or maybe the first personal computer (1975)

Trees are our link to history.

Joining Parul at Happiness and Food on the second and fourth Thursday of the month for #ThursdayTreeLove.

My iPhone Time Machine

 Today is a day of reflection.  

This week, several famous people of my youth or early adulthood died, including Pele and Barbara Walters.  Pope Emeritus Benedict also died, along with a grandson of music legend Bob Marley.  It's dreary out today (although it's also mild).   Sickness is everywhere.  Although my spouse and I have dodged it (so far) my son caught "something".  He's better now. 

When I bought a new iPhone earlier this month, I transferred my thousands of photos to the new phone (why?  who knows) and I was able to bring up "2022" and relive some of the highlights of this interesting year.

Time seems to speed up the longer I live and I just want to yell "Stop!  Freeze!"

Photos allow you to do that, in a way.

February 20 local park

The year almost always begins in my part of New York State in a frozen world, and if it doesn't, it happens soon enough.

March 24 crocus, my yard

But finally, the world comes alive with flowers once more.

April 25, Binghamton, New York

Spring arrives.

It's time to get out and travel.  Here, June 14 along the Erie Canal in Macedon, New York.

Gourds, Ithaca, New York, mid October

But the warm season speeds by, and before you know it, it's harvest time.

The trees turn color.

The holiday season arrives.

And before you know it....(December 29)

So here we are.  I can't end a 2022 post without this picture, though.

May we all have a better 2023.

And thank you to my readers - I appreciate you all!

"See" you in 2023.

The Washington Tree #ThursdayTreeLove

 When you travel, you never know what you may find..

Spouse and I took a trip to the Finger Lakes of upstate New York recently, and visited the village of Naples, New York, population about 2,500.  We were looking for a place to walk and we found a sign near a small park indicating there was a trail nearby.

In the small park near the trail sign, there was a stone with a marker.  It says "Under the parent of this tree, [George] Washington first took command of the American Army, July 3, 1775."

This tree was close to the marker.

George Washington, for those of my readers outside the United States, ended up becoming our first President.  Before then, he was the Commander in Chief of the Continental Army in our war of independence from Great Britain.

He indeed took command of the Continental Army on July 3, 1775, but it wasn't in Naples, New York.  Rather, it was some 388 miles (624 km) away, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

So, what is a tree parented by the tree under which Washington took command doing in Naples?  And is it the tree I took a picture of?  Well, it turns out, probably not.

For one thing, supposedly, the Washington tree was an elm which died in 1923.  It is true that cuttings of the tree were taken before its death, but those cuttings would be quite old now.

Also, most of our Elms died years ago, sadly, from Dutch Elm disease, and any tree a historic elm would have parented would probably also have died from the blight.  Finally, it would seem, this "Washington took command of the army" under that particular tree in Cambridge is probably also a myth.

The tree I took a picture of, near the marker, is a maple.  So, I did further research.

The website New York Historic says:

"The “Washington Tree” myth, often referred to as the “Washington Elm Tradition,” began as early as the 1830s in many townships where his armies may have passed in a campaign. This one, as well as many other markers with this claim, are assumed false."

Oh well.  It was still a good story for #ThursdayTreeLove, hosted by Parul of Happiness and Food every second and fourth Thursday of the month.

Fall Began in August #WordlessWednesday

August 28, in Binghamton, New York.

Taken August 28, 2022

 

I know we have a drought.  But isn't it a little early for fall?

Please tell me it is too early.  It's August 31 today, right?

 

Joining Sandee at Comedy Plus for her #WordlessWednesday.

Japanese Pagoda Tree #ThursdayTreeLove

There aren't too many summer flowering trees here in the Southern Tier of New York State.  Crepe myrtles don't grow here (not hardy enough, although they will survive in the New York City area.) I don't consider Rose of Sharon as a tree, although maybe one could.

Several years ago, I started to notice a tree that was blooming in late July or early August.  Many of those I saw were in locations where I couldn't easily photograph them.  But I finally did, and a friend's sister (a plant expert) identified them as Japanese Pagoda trees (Styphnolobium japonicum), a native of China.

To my delight, I saw one of these trees on the grounds of the library in Endicott, New York.  For about ten years in the 80's and 90's, I worked in Endicott in walking distance of their library, and was a frequent visitor.  I don't remember this tree.  I wonder how old it is.

Here's a closeup of the flowers, which have a slight scent.  The tree is a member of the pea family, and is a good urban tree.  At this time it isn't thought of as invasive.

Here's more about this tree.

Joining Parul at Happiness and Food for her twice a month #ThursdayTreeLove.

Cottonwood Snow #WordlessWednesday

In a couple of our local parks, we've seen snow lining the paths recently.  In June.

Well, not real snow.  Not at this time of year.

You be the judge.

Taken June 5

These are seeds of the cottonwood, or Eastern poplar.    These are produced only by female trees.

But, don't these look like snow to you? Others think so, too.  The fluff carries the seeds on the wind, just like it does with dandelion seeds.

Along the paths they gather wherever the trees grow - along riverbanks, or on flood plains.  They float on the air, just like snow flurries.

But, thankfully, they aren't.

Joining up with Sandee at Comedy Plus for #WordlessWednesday.

Historic Paper Mulberry Tree #ThursdayTreeLove

The third President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, loved trees.  He planted over 160 species at his home, Monticello, near Charlottesville, Virginia.

This  is one of those historic trees.  I don't know if this tree was alive when Jefferson was alive (he passed away on July 4, 1826 at the age of 83) but it wouldn't surprise me.

I've been to Monticello three times, the last time being May 1, 2019, when I took a picture of this paper mulberry tree.  Sadly, a lot of the labor at Monticello was performed by enslaved people (slavery was legal during Jefferson's lifetime and for years beyond), and, possibly, this tree may have been one that witnessed the sufferings of those people.

There are a number of mystery plants in the history of Thomas Jefferson and Monticello, as detailed in this article.

Joining up with Parul at Happiness and Food for her #ThursdayTreeLove, held the second and fourth Thursday of the month. Please note, due to the Blogging from A to Z Challenge in April, I will resume Thursday Tree Love posts in May.

Halfway Through October #SkywatchFriday

If you are looking for my Garden Bloggers Bloom Day post, it will go up a little later this morning.

If you are looking for skies, though, you've come to the right place. 

We are halfway through October - so hard to believe but the weather has not been typical.  It's been absolutely wonderful, even though, part of the time, it was cloudy and overcast.  But the other part of the time - ahhh. Temperatures in the low 70's (21 C).  No frost yet (unlike last year, when we had a frost in September.)

Here are some highlights of a sky week in the Southern Tier of New York.

October 11, mare's tails in the afternoon.

Sunset October 11, against an overcast sky.

Sunrise October 12, complete with power lines.

Just a little dot in on the right side, middle

October 12, spouse and I took our lunchtime walk in our local park.  To our amazement, there was a big bird lazily circling in the sky, hardly flapping at all.  At one point the sun glinted off of the bird, and you could see a white head and white tipped tail feathers.  

Still talking myself into getting a camera

We think it was a bald eagle, but all you will see is a small dot.  But this is Skywatch, not Birdwatch, so let's move on.

That afternoon, the sun glinted off the river.

Wednesday, back to the overcast.

Thursday, back to the sunshine.
 

Last one - doesn't this black walnut tree look spooky?  I was tempted to post this one in black and white. Maybe I'll try that another time.

Joining up again, as I do each Friday, with Yogi and other skywatchers at #SkywatchFriday.

Black Walnuts #ThursdayTreeLove

The Eastern black walnut tree brings back memories for me.  This tree is in the local park near our house.  This seems to be a good year; the tree is loaded with nuts.

It's a majestic native tree, growing up to 100 feet (over 30 meters) tall but you may not want to have it on your property (more on that in a few minutes). Let's take a closer look.

The nuts are edible.  The hulls of the nut produces a wonderful brown dye.  The wood is beautiful, and prized by woodworkers and furniture makers.   So what's there not to like?

It's a useful tree, though it has some major issues.

If you handle the hulls without gloves (I made that mistake once), you will have brown hands for weeks.

When we lived in rural Arkansas, many years ago, we decided we would gather the nuts and extract the delicious black walnut meat.

I don't know if you've ever seen the inside of a black walnut in the shell.  Just to get the nut opened, you either need to be Superman or determined.  Very determined.  Using a car helps.  You run the nut over and crush the nut under the tires.  You can use a hammer, too, if you aren't afraid of ruining your fingers.

Actually, that nut can be cracked with the proper technique.  We didn't have it.  Too bad the Internet didn't exist while we had these nut trees on our rural property.

Once open, the inside of the nut is like a maze.  Good luck in getting nutmeats out, although squirrels seem to have little trouble.  Each fall, there is a parade of squirrels through my back yard, some carrying these nuts.

You can buy them processed in certain stores, but be prepared to pay the price.

The taste is - how to describe it? Earthy? Hard to explain but way different from the English walnuts we get in the United States at the local supermarket.  

And, oh, about growing them on your property.  The tree, including the roots, excrete a substance called juglone, poisonous to a lot of plants, including apple trees, tomatoes, potatoes, and others.  The roots extend way behind the tree, and if the tree is removed, the soil remains toxic to these plants for several more years.  Then, there are the nuts when they fall.  Have fun picking them up (see above on using them as a dye).

On the other hand - in the fall, these trees turn a lovely yellow. 

And they are pretty.

Joining Parul at Happiness and Food for her second and fourth Thursday of the month #ThursdayTreeLove.

The Tree That Still Grows in Brooklyn #ThursdayTreeLove

I blogged about this tree for Parul's bi monthly #ThursdayTreeLove back in 2018 but it's worth a repeat.

Consider this tree, which I photographed back on August 19.

Now think of tenacity, and some of its meanings. .  Determination.  Persistence.

Tenacity.  The ability to grow where it was planted, and flourish despite all odds.

The lessons of a tree that grew in Brooklyn and inspired a best selling novel.

In 1943, a novel called A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith was published.  It was the story of an impoverished 11 year old girl, Francene Nolan, who, during the course of the novel, endures many hardships.  When the book ends, Francene is seventeen and is ready to embark on her adult life.

Like the tree in the yard of her apartment building, Francene survives all that life throws at her.  The tree is destroyed again and again, but sprouts again, and survives.

I fell in love with that book when I read it as a young teen.  As someone who grew up in New York City, I was quite familiar with that tree.  It is a survivor.

The tree is called Ailanthus altissima.  Or Chinese sumac.  Another name is the tree of Heaven, which may be a sarcastic name.   It is quite invasive, grows rapidly, and can live up to 100 years or more.  If chopped down, it will regrow from its roots.  And, quite literally, the tree can stink. 

 Back in 2015, when spouse and I had to make frequent trips to a northern suburb of New York City during the summer, I was amazed to see how it was taking over the roadsides of one of the parkways north of New York City.

With climate change, its range is rapidly expanding, and it now grows where I live in the Southern Tier of New York State.  It isn't just there, either - if you head west on NY 17 towards Bath, New York, you'll find it there, too as I did earlier this month.

But still...that tenacity. You have to admire this tree, even as you are saddened by its spread.

Joining Parul of Happiness and Food each second and fourth Thursday of the month for her #ThursdayTreeLove.

Linden Tree Very Pretty #ThursdayTreeLove

 Once again, I present the majestic linden tree (also known as the basswood tree), which stopped blooming in my area of New York State a bit over two weeks ago.

 It may be hard for you to appreciate the size from a photo, but this is a big tree.   This particular street in Binghamton, New York (Grand Boulevard) is partially lined with these trees. I don't know how old these trees are, but I've read that some can have a lifespan of up to 1,000 years.

Some interesting facts about the linden.

The seed pods come out before the flowers open.

The flowers are fragrant and bees love them.  Looking at this picture, you may ask, where are the bees? There weren't too many.  They seem to decrease each year, a worrisome trend.

Let's take a last, long distance look.

Here's a post I wrote on these trees in a previous year with more information.

I'll be joining Parul at Happiness and Food, hopefully later today, for #ThursdayTreeLove.

Tree Lilac and Bee #ThursdayTreeLove

Walking yesterday on the West Side of downtown Binghamton, NY, I detected a lovely scent.

This is a tree that is becoming a common planting on the strip of grass between the sidewalk and the street in some parts of our area - the Tree Lilac (Syringa amurensis).  Unlike the French lilacs we associate with lilacs, these bloom later, and grow into small trees.  Sometimes, these trees grow to 20 feet (6 m) or more.  I love their scent.  Some of the later blooming lilacs (Korean lilacs, I think, as they are short and have purple blooms) smell terrible to me.  Not this one.

Here's the tree. Not all of the flowers were open yet.  You can see part of a car in the lower left, which gives this a little scale as to the height.

A closeup of one of the flowers.

Finally, let's look in on a bumblebee enjoying a pollen bath.

Joining today with Parul at Happiness and Food for her second and fourth Thursday tree meme, #ThursdayTreeLove.