A Tree

Psalm 1:1-3

Blessed is the one

who does not walk in step with the wicked

or stand in the way that sinners take

or sit in the company of mockers,

2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,

and who meditates on his law day and night.

3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,

which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither—

whatever they do prospers.

This post is not about how the people of Gribble Springs glorified God. This post is about a tree. But how could a post about some of the most beautiful trees in the world NOT be about their creator?!?!

The grounds at the Gribble Springs cemetery and the neighboring church have several white oak trees.

Our Post Oaks - Quercus stellata, might also be Quercus alba, but I think likely not. Ours are probably a hybrid White Oak. (Stellata is "hairy" on the underside of the leaf, so we can check.) There is a way to estimate the age of white oak trees. Would be fun to do that for our largest one. The one next to my home in Delta County, Texas was an acorn before settlers arrived. (1800-1820 is where I dated it using the aging method)

In the 70's (c. 1978), my Daddy and my Uncle Joe (both buried in the cemetery) and several other men of the church had to cut down the 2 white oaks that shaded the picnic table - because the trees were dying. I remember that Daddy cried.

Daddy made domino boxes out of the wood. I have one of those boxes. My mom does. The preacher at the time – Brother Carl – has one and he still mentions it to me every now and again on Facebook. Several others have the boxes. Daddy cut a huge chunk at the point where the huge trunk of one of the trees branched out. It sat in our front yard as a planter for years until it finally decayed so much that it was falling apart. It was well over 3 feet in diameter, but probably not 4 feet – keep in mind that piece would have been 10 or more feet up in the air while living!