Ostomy Memories of a Black Gum

THERE WAS A SPOT IN MY FRONT YARD where I wanted to plant a medium-size tree.  I chose a southeastern deciduous tree that, like most cats, has more than one name.  It is a black gum, also called a sour gum, or a black tupelo, or just tupelo (or, if you want to get technical:  Nyssa sylvatica).  Just that one word – tupelo – has such a sweet, Southern sound, it alone is enough to attract someone to this tree.  Although it is a slow grower (just one to two feet per year), it has some nice attractions about it.  The bark, as the tree matures, takes on a look similar to alligator skin.  I don’t have to tell you that, here in Florida, how partial we are to alligators. More importantly, in the Fall, it transforms into a wonderful autumn color.  Mine turns a brilliant red-orange, about the color of a striking sunset.  When neighbors walk past and ask me what kind of a tree it is, I always smile and say slowly… TU – PE – LO, letting the word roll off my tongue like tupelo honey.  So I confess to being a lover of trees, and I especially revere them when they stand alone, like a lonely but confident person, the wind in their leaves, their roots in eternity.  Trees live according to their own unwritten laws, and represent themselves pro se against environmental degradation and the march of time.  When it’s old enough, I plan to give my tupelo a hug.

I too am a tree hugger.

One of my favorite songs refers to Tupelo honey... Southern Girl by Tim McGraw.

Here you go, Alex.

This is my favorite tree - well, not really a tree, but many bougainvillea plants trained into a tree shape. When we lived in Key Largo, Florida, I passed this tree almost daily. It was on the property of a bank in town on the Overseas Highway. It was beautiful, and someone had to put much time, love, and care into this amazing creation.

That is a beautiful tree!

This is a lone tree in a farmer's field near where I live. I think it is the most photographed tree in all of NB. LOL. It does make you wonder....

How can you think of Tupelo Honey without thinking of Van Morrison's song, which was written when Tim McGraw was just a toddler. Now, that is a beautiful song!

Terry

Hi Henry, I'm a tree lover too, and it's probably not surprising that I'm partial to evergreens, majestic cedars, firs, pines, spruce, and hemlock. They are all beautiful, and I love nothing better than walking through a forest of these wonders of nature. It can be an almost spiritual experience. A lone tree, growing on its own somewhere, might look nice, but that tree is vulnerable. Like people, trees do better together. They protect each other from the elements, particularly wind. We had three very large and magnificent Douglas firs growing in a cleared area behind our house on the island. During a particularly violent winter wind storm, two of them came down, one just missing the house. I was devastated, but what made it worse was that the arborist recommended that we have the third one taken down, as it was a risk there growing on its own. So, just like humans, trees have a longer life expectancy when they stick together!

Terry

I love that song too, Terry.

I know I feel better being in this awesome group!

Thank you Sally!!

I will second that EmotionSally + Terry!!

Oh... I thought this post was about my favorite black gum. My bad.

;O(

or worse... 

I love trees! Here in Eastern Iowa, we have the most beautiful seasons. Right now, all of Iowa is rich and green. And in the fall, the colors are glorious! Heading north for a fall drive up towards Dubuque is breathtaking. And even in the winter, with the ice glistening off the branches...you've never seen anything more beautiful. And then there is spring, and watching all of the barren trees come to life, reminding us all that life goes on.
Sorry for going on and on, but trees have always made me think of strength. They dig deep with their roots and hang on for dear life! Guess we all need to do that and thank God for every day we can!