Bubba Bubba

 Ada is talking and trying to boss her Bubba.

Sweetgum

 

If I had to choose my least favorite tree, I think I’d pick the Sweetgum.  The tree has nasty balls that fall and litter the ground beneath its branches.  These are hard and  bur like.   They can trip an old person causing a fall.  The tree is called a gum because once the rosin was used in making chewing gum.  The leaves turn pretty in the fall reminding me of a Maple.  The leaves are easily distinguished as they are five pointed.  Sweetgum trees grow very large and can live 400 years.  We have a few in Galla Meadow.

Nasty Sweetgum balls have a use.   The sweetgum’s fruit-laden limbs hold its own humble contribution to humanity. The infertile seeds found in each of the sweetgum’s seed capsules are a naturally occurring source of shikimic acid, one of the main ingredients in the manufacture of Tamiflu.

Trees Tell Many Tales

Holly above

Cucumber Tree or Northern Magnolia below

I love trees, weeds, and wild flowers.  Every tree in my yard has a story.  Larry climbed the fence and dug me a Redbud tree.  Arnold Bowden and Wayne Hawkins (lives in Georgia)gave us a Catalpa tree.  The Walnut trees came from Ray and Clara Boyd.  Larry left the Ash tree in the fence row because he said it’d be a marker.  A huge Persimmon was once a little tree at the edge of a big garden that grew smaller and smaller as we aged.  Larry’s Mom liked Maples and every one was planted by her hand.  Papa George Wheatley bought the Tulip Poplar.  Ethel placed a cement block around the huge Oak so it wouldn’t get mowed down when it wasn’t even a foot tall. Tommy Spencer gave us the two Saw Toothed Oaks and the wild plum came from atop Crow Mountain given by   Bernie and Betty Hewitt.  The Pin Oaks, Sycamores,  and Black Gums were carefully bushed hogged around when Larry mowed the Meadow.

Today I saw trees that I don’t have.  One was a Holly Tree.  Yes, it has pretty red berries.  A Cucumber Tree is a type of Magnolia.  Also, the Park has several Bald Cypress trees.  Trees are special to me.  It takes many years for them to grow tall and strong and they watch over goings on below their boughs.  Sometimes, I think Galla Meadow is too much for me to look after.  But how could I continue living without my Meadow.

Tupelo Black Gum and close up of Holly tree

Redbud

Big Black Gum in fence row

Tulip Poplar and Maple

Ash and Bald Cypress 

 

Astrid and Logan

 

Astrid and Logan had their photo made at his brother’s wedding.  They make a beautiful couple.

Ada May Be A Reader

 

I can read.

It may sound like  jib jab to you.  

But some day I’ll be enjoying big books like my Gigi.

Pretty Maples and Dogwoods

 Little Red carried Phinnie and I to Lake Dardanelle to walk.  The Red Maples were more colorful than last weekend.  The smaller trees are Dogwoods.  They were deep purple.

Astrid Dresses Up

 Astrid is attending Logan’s brother’s wedding today.  Laura went with her as Logan is in the wedding.  Astrid said the bride told her I could attend.  They have invited 100 I think so I declined.  Too big a chance to get the virus.  I think Astrid looks beautiful. 

Another Hat For Ada

 

Today when Phinnie and I walked we saw the pretty trees on the other side of Galla Lake.  The shadows  created on the water are beautiful.  The wild weeds are about finished blooming.  It was only 42 this morning but the sun warmed us up quickly.

Got another hat made for Ada. 

Roscoe Wade

 

Rev. Roscoe Wade passed away October 14, 2020.  He was only 62.  He found about 6 months ago he had adrenal cancer.  It was stage 4.  I grew up with his wife, Barbara Rudd Wade.  I stayed over night at the Rudd’s home.  Jonell, Barbara’s Sister, was a good friend and still is.  Barb was just a little girl then.  I hope she will be supported by her strong family.  I know the sadness she will face.

Obituary

Roscoe Myron Wade Jr. went home to be with the lord on October 14th, 2020 at the age of 63 in Green Forest, Arkansas. He was born in Rutland, VT on September 23rd, 1957 to his parents Roscoe Sr. and Nina (Beayon) Wade. He was employed at Tyson Foods for over 44 years in the maintenance department. Roscoe was the pastor at the South of Green Forest Union Church. He loved Jesus, singing the gospel, watching the Razorbacks, he could fix anything, and enjoyed spending time with his family. Roscoe is survived by his wife of 45 years, Barbara Jean (Rudd) Wade, his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and his brothers and sisters:

Daughter -- Amber (Wade) Wingo and her husband Jason Wingo of Gentry, AR including their family: Whitney, Alex, Sofia, Gabriella, Zachary, Yeni, Clara, Devon, Heidi, Isaac, Victoria, and Bruce.

Son -- Adam Wade and his wife Casey (Poor) Wade of Green Forest, AR including their family: Alivia, Catey, and Burley

Siblings -- Rocky Wade, Ricky Wade, Ronnie Wade, Randy Wade, Beverly Deo, Patricia Wade, and Donna Wade.

Roscoe was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Roy Wade, and his sister, Debbie Wade.

Celebration Of Life service will be 6:00 PM Saturday, October 17, 2020 at Smith Family Funeral Home in Green Forest, AR with Bro  Truman Stark officiating. Visitation will be 5-6 PM before the service begins.

 Indoor venues have a restriction of no more than 66 percent of the venue’s total capacity at any one time. To enter, face covering is required

Smartweed

 One dumb old woman now knows a lot about Smartweed and Ladysthumb.

Phinnie and I saw a new plant this morning.  We walked up and down the lane to my house.  Didn’t want to don those big boots to go through the wet grass.  The new plant is Smartweed.  It was growing in the ditch where all the water from Cliff and Stream runs to.  I'd rather be a smart-weed than a dumb-flower.  Smartweeds are mostly aquatic plants preferring wet or at least  moist soils. Flowers are small.   They range from white to red, with most being pink. They are members of the Buckwheat family.   There are lots of types of Smartweeds. The one Phinnie and I saw today is called Ladysthumb.  Ladysthumb is identified by the thump print on each leaf.  I took a picture of the thumb print.

Native Americans used the leaves in treatments of stomach pains and poison ivy. They also rubbed the plant on their horses as an insect repellant. Also known as Persicaria maculosa, the flowers attracts Halictid bees, wasps, and Syrphid flies. Mammalian herbivores rarely feed on the foliage of this plant because the foliage is peppery, and slightly bitter. However, white-tailed deer may chomp on it on occasion. The seeds are very popular with  songbirds.

I read Ladysthumb often grows near dumps.  That explains why is prevalent near my house!

Fog Filled Morning Stroll

 

Black Gum

Ash

Galla Lake

Rocking

 

Ada is sitting in the chair her Great Great Grandmother Gertrude Maples Powell used to enjoy rocking.  Grandpa R.M. Powell had someone make two rockers, one for him and one for Grandma.  Dad sat in the same chair after Grandma passed away. I wish I knew who made the rockers.  Erin received my brother Clayton Powell’s chair, when she named her son after her uncle.  Sister Fleta has Grandma’s chair, but she leaves it at Dad and Mom’s house where Sister Helen resides.  When I go to Erin’s I like sit in the chair and imagine my Grandfather Powell doing likewise.