Trees - #128

“I think that I shall never see, a poem as lovely as a tree”…  Joyce Kilmer

One of the most amazing and impressive natural wonders of the southern landscape are their live oak trees. If I were to make a list of my favorite things - live oaks would definitely top the list. They are truly something special!

So a little about live oaks…. To begin, they are an evergreen, meaning unlike other types of oaks that go dormant during the colder months and lose their leaves, live oaks keep their leaves and stay green year round. Most trees grow up towards the sky, live oaks grow out. A mature tree might be 50’ in height, but its canopy can spread over 150’ wide! It is common to see beautiful live oaks draped with Spanish moss- much like garland hanging from a Christmas tree. Their massive, gnarly branches stretching out like tentacles and curling back up towards the sky; every one of them with their own unique personality. You can’t help but feel awed in their presence; there’s a wisdom in their age and endurance.

My first encounter with live oaks was in Texas. They were different than trees I was used to seeing up north. In Mississippi, I found them even more prolific. Often when driving along the coast, live oaks line both sides of the road giving the feeling of driving up to an elite estate or old time plantation. 

One of the ways Mississippi is preserving and honoring these great trees is through a registry. Significant trees ( determined by measuring the circumference ) with a girth of 16+ feet - can be sponsored and listed with one of these services. The Champion Tree Program also tracks the largest specimen of every tree in the state; a professional forester verifies measurements. Tree protection ordinances help to protect the trees particularly on the Gulf Coast where laws are strictly enforced. The monetary fines are hefty as well as jail sentence in some instances. 

A Southern Winter - #127

While states north of us have been inundated with mounds of snow and endless arctic temperatures, we experienced heavy rains and thunderstorms in south Mississippi. Luckily, we were able to get out and do some chores in between the rain; inside our trailer was dry and cozy warm. This week was dry and temperatures climbed to almost 60 (colder at night) but today 1/31 - is our true winter day.  It will be windy and freezing all day; temperature hovering at just about 31 but the wind chill lowers our perception to 20. Our only saving grace is our bright southern sun. ☀️ 

 

        Here

 

                           Back  Home

In the meantime, we are looking forward to Brooke and the kids visiting us about 2-1/2 weeks; hoping the weather will be good for them. They will be staying at our campground in the “ glamping tent”, which is roughly 150 steps from our trailer ( yes - I counted!).  It is equipped with both heat and air conditioning. It will certainly be a fun experience for the children!

The little heater we purchased to use instead of our propane continues to be an amazing investment! It keeps our trailer toasty warm, is so quiet. It is so much more convenient than using our propane too. I can only imagine how often we’d have to refill the tanks when we consistently are using heat. The worst part is when a tank runs out during the night; Charlie has to get dressed and go out to switch it over.  

                    

Today we are staying in our trailer all day. We did a lot activities yesterday- laundry, walking, showers, casino, visiting, shopping, playing games - which set us up for a good day to stay in and relax.  I will work on my pillow projects today, complete my writing, play some games, cook and watch TV. The day will go by quickly as all days seem to…

I’ve also been having fun learning and using the Gemini AI app. Been using it to decide on new paint colors for our apartment. It's a great tool to get a perspective on how different colors will look! 

( all white is how it actually is; color is AI generated)

I’m loving the accent walls; what do you think?

                                                               

Charlie and Minnie are still snuggled up in bed.  It’s almost 10 but no rush to get up. I guess I’ll go make some coffee. Keep warm everyone!