I love trees. From climbing them as a kid to photographing them now. I am always drawn to paintings of trees, arrangements of branches or things made of bark. I have favorite trees all over the country that I go back to and visit. A Grand old Momma Pine tree on the banks of Pine Creek in the Eastern Sierra mountains of California. I still have bits of her bark that I have saved. There is a beautiful Old Oak tree on the grounds of the Alamo in San Antonio, TX with the branches low hanging and supported with posts. It is a cool place under the hot summer sun. When my brother and I were kids we used to play amongst the hanging branches of old Willow trees. It was magical and beautiful when the wind blew them about.
Oak, Bur Quercus macrocarpa.
I found these two old beauties in the Wood walk at Wegerzyn Park here in Dayton. They are Burr (Bur) Oaks. I have found the name spelled both ways. They have large, fringed acorns. The tree is also referred to as Mossy Cup oak because of the acorn. The acorns provide food for squirrels, White Tail deer, Wood Ducks, wild turkeys, mice and a variety of other rodents. The trees grow to between 70-80' high and can have an 80' branch spread. The leaves are large sometimes up to 12" in width. They have a very long life span of 200-300 years.
These lovely old trees are appreciated and celebrated on the Woods Walk here in the park. If trees could talk what would they say about all that they have seen? They adapt to changes, weather storms, provide food and shelter for animals. Wonderful trees... Have you hugged a tree today?
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