The Old Cottonwood Tree

This is a close up of the bark of an Old Cottonwood tree on our property. I love the texture of the bark. Notice the swirls in the bark?

This view shows one of the many forks in the Old Cottonwood tree. Which path to follow?

I've been told that this is the last year for this beloved Old Cottonwood tree...it makes me so sad to think of it not being here. I've know this tree for 20 years. I'll miss the design of the limbs against the sky during every Season. When I took this photo it's almost as if the tree is taking an "I give up" posture with it's main limbs. It's been a loyal tree for our family, strong of spirit and has weathered storms, droughts, rains, heatwaves, cold snaps and snow.

I'll ask Mr. B when he cuts it down if he can make table tops for my bird baths and flat thick disks for the bases of flower pots. I'll use the cut up trunk and large limbs in my gardens for "green" borders...they disintegrate with age and add nutrients to the soil. So this Old Cottonwood Tree will again give back to my garden but until it's removed...I will gaze at it every time I go outside and wonder about it's history.

Purple Smoke Bush Tree

This is a Purple Smoke Tree, it is planted in a quiet portion of my property with full sun from morning until late afternoon. It's a lovely specimen because the leaf color starts as a reddish purple in Spring and during the Summer the colors deepen to an almost black color with red veins on the leaves. Mine has only bloomed twice but what a show it was. The blooms are feathery pink blossoms in early Summer that cover every branch and therefore it's name.

This garden beauty is easy to care for, I thin out the branches in Fall and then wait for Spring and the beginning of it's lovely leafing and blooming cycle.

We'll take another look at this tree in early Summer when it reaches it's peak beauty and perhaps the Red Crepe Myrtles on either side will also be full of blooms!

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One more thing...check out my post for April 11...towards the bottom you'll see a post about Jaime...her jewelery...and an Etsy contest one of her rings is in...it won't take a minute and you'll be so glad you did! Thanks dear friends in the Land of Blog!