“Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy”
Psalm 96:11-12
A major clearing last year, mainly removing a thicket of privet, opened up our view of a wooded area east of the house. This gave us a much better view of this large tree that I have since named the “Tree of Reconciliation”. Many years ago this tree experienced a separation and a division occurred. At some point, probably after quite some time had passed, there was reconciliation and a coming together once again. It’s never too late!
White is a dominant color in landscapes and woodlands in the early spring. Dogwoods, like this one in our side yard, are just one of many small trees and shrubs that dot the countryside with their beautiful blooms these days.
Many people say the dogwood bloom reminds them of a cross and they love the fact that they are usually showy around Easter every year. With that in mind, I tried to focus on these 3 blooms that seemed to be lined up across my viewfinder!
While dogwoods, Bradford pear, wild cherry and a few others are the typical white bloomers, this one is maybe not as common or possibly mistaken for the Bradford pear. I do believe this is a black hawthorn!
These 2 might have an occasional disagreement but they sure love each other. EK was over yesterday and questioning what happened to the yellow daffodil blooms? She expects them to bloom all season! EM was more interested in the condition of the frog. Mr. Frog was accidentally dropped which cost him a foot and one eye. EM was devastated but all is well…super glue!
It is azalea time in the south…
…and there seems to be an endless variety of colors!
An area at the lake that I have nicknamed “Turtle City”. They often slide off into the water before I get this close but last week, basking in the sun was too hard to give up, or they’ve finally learned I mean no harm!
This is not an out of focus pic, fog, or a dust storm. This is a green cloud of pollen! I drove through two very dense pockets of pollen last week. Honestly the photo does not show how dusty it was. I don’t think I have ever seen it quite so heavy in the air. An allergy lover’s paradise!
I know, this needs some explanation for sure. This kinda looks like one of those hot pools in Yellowstone if you’ve ever visited the park…and if you have quite an imagination. Since I showed the pollen cloud, I could not pass up this pollen that had settled and caked up on the water’s surface at the edge of the lake. Actually, it’s very near Turtle City!
Our 40+ year old magnolia has never been trimmed so limbs and foliage are thick from the ground up. This makes for a nice safe hangout for a number of creatures, especially rabbits. This one thinks it’s well hidden but I slipped into the hideaway!
I chose today’s throwback for a couple of reasons. This is our Lady Banks rose arbor from the first of April 2018. It was pretty awesome to look at that year. Reason number two is found in the following pic which is the same arbor…
…day before yesterday, April 1st, and no, it’s not a joke. What a difference the weather can make from year to year. We are assuming the consecutive nights of frost and a hard freeze took its toll. The buds that were on it are dried up and brown and the foliage is not even filled out. Any blooms will be a miracle. It is all about the timing.
Speaking of timing…last week this trillium was the only one I found with a bud and I promised a progress report. One week later shows a small change but things still appear to be moving slow
Some plants however are more adept at bouncing back after a cold wave. The Japanese magnolia blooms were wiped out during the freeze but the plant showed remarkable resilience and bounced back to re-bloom!
Spring leaves are beginning to fill up space on Lookout Mountain. I noticed the hardwoods on lower elevations along the ridge are showing more green than those only a few hundred feet higher on the mountain. I asked EM and EK if they could spot the horse in this photo as it watched over the scene. The girls said “yes” but were firm in the fact it was not a horse but a unicorn. Imaginations running wild!
Have a blessed first week of April!
”Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”.
Hebrews 13:8
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Imparting Grace,Life and Linda
Happy Sunday Pam and Butch! Love the tree of reconciliation Butch and the turtles sunning themselves. Our Lady Banks didn’t recover from our freezing temps either…sniff. ADORABLE photo of EK and EM! I hope it’s framed and hanging somewhere. Happy Sunday ♥
Thanks so much, Mary. Wishing you a beautiful Sunday♥️
Happy Sunday Pam and Butch! I love the Tree of Reconciliation…the name and look of it is really profound with what is going on in the world. Our turtles are out sunning now too, I love watching them. My spinal fusion is tomorrow, prayers appreciated. I am ready to start feeling better!
Thanks so much, Roxanne. You are in our prayers for a successful surgery and a quick recovery ♥️
Great pictures! Adorable girls to brighten up my cloudy Sunday. Thank you for sharing dear friends. Blessings.
Thank you, Maristella! Blessings ~
Pam and Butch, I can’t find the words to say how much this post brightened my Sunday. The Dogwoods, girls, the flowers, and your mountain (I watch The Walton’s almost daily so that explains how my mind works). Especially the verses. God bless you both and your family, too. Thank you for being lights in our world and reminding us of all the beauty around and how to enhance it! 💛❤️♥️
Your sweet words make me happy Karla. Love and hugs 💛🌺🙏🏻
I’m so glad they do! Love and hugs to you, too! 💛🙏🏻💕
Love that tree and the analogy of reconciliation! We follow turtles that show up each spring on a particular boulder on the edge of our river. Haven’t seen them yet this spring! Wow, that pollen. My grandbaby girl is apparently going to suffer from allergies. You should’ve seen her poor little red, watering eyes one warm day last week. Your girls are precious.Nature sure does humble us in terms of what will show each year and what won’t, as evidenced by your Lady Banks. Tulip magnolia trees’ blooms here were freeze-dried a few weeks ago. Have a wonderful Sunday and start of a new week.
Thank you, Rita. I am so sorry that Baby J has allergies, bless her heart. EK has a few allergy problems. Have a wonderful day!
Butch you preached a sermon this morning with the scripture and the tree of reconciliation. This is the day the Lord has made let us rejoice in it. He sends rain, sun and frost. We didn’t have any blossoms last year due to a freeze, no fruit so we are hoping for a colorful tree filled fruit year. Sweet sweet grands that will go through life leaning on one another. Praise the Lord🙏🏽
Thank you, Alice. Hoping you have a fruit filled tree!
What we learn through Butch’s keen discernment..I am grateful for his insights and the photos that point the way. The tree
of reconciliation is a Sabbath sermon unto itself… What a loving image of the two darlings…what bonds are being formed.
Our blossoming Bradford pears …one day foliage interspersed with white blossoms in abundance and then the gale winds
last week and now another day and the trees are solid green…the blooms said goodbye too soon. Our quince are washed in
apricot hue and are a softer hello to Spring than the azalea ablaze in burgundy beside it.. How we welcome the color and the sun. My child-like heart with the girls sees the unicorn as well…. Spring has arrived. Sending you both love this day.
Thank you, Mary. I am so sorry about your white blossoms. So happy your child-like-heart saw the unicorn!
The “Tree of Reconciliation” is amazing! I love this time of year when the dogwoods and pear trees are in bloom, like a white wonderland! The photo of EM and & EK is extra adorable today, whispering sister secrets 🙂 The pollen fog is scary, but I can put up with pollen because of all the blooms it brings~ That is so sad about your beautiful Lady Banks rose arbor, I’ve got my fingers crossed it will bloom this year…the Japanese magnolia is so beautiful! Have a lovely Sunday Pam & Butch, I am enjoying a day of quiet by myself at the beach house, sunny and 78 today, before heading north tomorrow 😎
Jenna
Thank you, Jenna. A day of quiet at the beach sounds fabulous. Safe travels!
Pam and Butch, The pic of the girls is frame worthy. Such a beautiful shot of both of them. Pollen now requires mask wearing, not COVID. It is going to be bad this year. The nature shots are all beautiful. Our tulip magnolia came back with a few blooms as well but we’re still having frost advisories so the colder weather seems to have a nipped quite a few things. I am sorry your Lady Banks roses were affected. They’re always so beautiful. That bunny has a nice haven from predators. I always love seeing turtles sunning. Enjoy your day. Clara❤️
Thank you, Clara. Butch is wearing a mask while cutting grass, the pollen is so thick. Wishing you a lovely week ♥️
What an awesome tree. To be surround by such beauty in nature. You are truly blessed. The pic of the girls is gorgeous. Happy Sunday have a great new week ahead. xoxo
Thank you, Kris xoxo
Butch and Pam…I love to come home from church to your glorious pics and comments on Sundays. I look forward to your musings and your sharing of beautiful signs of spring. It is a bit cool here today and the heavens hold clouds full of rain… so ready to drop their welcoming drops in and among our palms and shrubs.
The girls are adorable and I am so glad the frog found repair. I have a frog of the same size who is missing a foot (not sure how that happened) but he stands guard in my Secret Garden, not able to “hop” away, much to my delight.
Blessings on this glorious Lord’s day. Hugs always my dear friend.
Kari
Thanks so much, Kari. We are always happy to see you on our Sunday walks. Have a lovely week, dear one.
Pam xoxo
Happy Sunday, Pam and Butch. Love this post – but those girls are the best. You probably tire of me saying that , but it is true. And this photo is one of the best. Their sweet smiles and bare feet. It almost brings me tears it is so sweet. I think your rose may come out of it. You will probably see some new growth as spring really shows up and maybe even a few blooms. Your dogwood is gorgeous and should be in a gardening magazine, it is a true and beautiful specimen. Wishing you all happy April days.
Sandra, I will never tire of reading those sweet words about my girls. Happy week to you ♥️
That tree of reconciliation is really something! And what a difference in the two April 1st photos! My, that is just amazing. The litte ones have far better “I spy” skills that I do – I never could find the horse/unicorn! It was so nice to stop by and visit with you all today. God bless you and your family always.
Thanks so much, Cheryl. I always look forward to your visits.
Happy Sunday Stroll Day! Pam and Butch!
I enjoyed all the blooming plants from Dogwoods to Azaleas… they are all so gorgeous.
EK and EM are just so sweet… they remind me of my sister and I when we were young. We grew up to be best friends.
And Turtle City, Pollen Fog and Reconciliation Tree… I loved it all.
Thank you!
Enjoy your Sunday Folks!
Thank you, Nancy! It must be so nice to have a sister. I am very close to my brother and SIL. Enjoy your week!
Oh those two little sweethearts are so precious. That tender snapshot made my heart smile this evening. There’s nothing better than being a grandma, is there …
Thank You, Lord, for this blessing!
Thanks so much, Linda. Being a grandmother is the best!
I loved this walk through nature!
That pollen Storm, goodness!
I’ve never seen such a thing!
We have terrible dust storms here in Australia when in drought but I’ve never seen a pollen Storm.
Love the Azaleas & the ‘girl time’ photo 😀
Bless you both,
Jennifer
Thanks so much, Jennifer. Pollen is rough on allergies. Wishing you a wonderful week!
Thank you 😊 Yes, my nose is itching just thinking about it!
How interesting that you mentioned a Hawthorn tree. We noticed quite a few trees in the wooded areas of our subdivision here in East Tennessee that we thought were Hawthorns. Turns out they are Bradford Pear trees, which is not native and is invasive. Several people have them planted in their landscape and they seem to be multiplying endlessly. Anyway, Hawthorn trees, as I understand, have really sharp and long thorns on them, white flowers in the Spring, and red berries in the Fall. The thorns remain all the time. The Bradford pears looks very similar to Hawthorns but they do not posses the thorns. I absolutely love how the removal of the privet (which we have a lot of too) has opened up the beauty of the wooded area and I love love love the Tree of Reconciliation. Enjoy all the beauty God has given us.
Thank you so much, Lisa! We have found that the rogue Bradford pears do have thorns and yes they are terribly invasive and are taking over so many vacant spaces. Wishing you a wonderful week!
Another series of beautiful pictures from Butch and the Reconciliation tree is amazing! Those sweet princesses – love Jenna’s comment about sisters whispering secrets – so cute. And those azaleas are amazing but sorry to hear about the Lady Banks rose arbor – fingers crossed it will come back. Wishing you both a lovely week!
Thanks so much, Kim. Wishing you a lovely week!