Friday, April 20, 2018

Significant Plant of Planet Earth

Consider a tree for a moment.
As beautiful as trees are to look at, we don't see what goes on underground ~ as they grow roots. Trees must develop roots in order to grow strong and produce their beauty. But we don't see the roots. We just see and enjoy the beauty. In much the same way, what goes on inside of us is like the roots of a tree. (Joyce Meyer)

Mother Nature is Always Speaking,”
wrote Radhanath Swami, after living as a wanderer in the Himalayan foothills.
“She speaks in a language understood with the peaceful mind of the sincere observer. Leopards, cobras, monkeys, rivers and trees. They all served as my teachers.”

The “Joshua Tree” about which I've recently written, lives and thrives uniquely in California's Joshua Tree National Park, adjacent to the Mojavi Desert. It reminded me of an entry sign at John Muir's Redwood Forest near San Francisco: Advice From a Tree (written by Ilan Shamir)
Stand Tall and Proud
Sink your roots deeply into the Earth
Reflect the light of a greater source
Think long-term

Many Trees 'Unique to Specific Locations in the World.'
Rainbow Eucalypcus (Pacific Islands (Kauai); Dragon's Blood Trees (Socatra Island, part of Yemen's territory due to the trees' red sap); Bamboo Fronds (grasses) in Japan and Hawaii; Angel Oak Tree (Charleston area in South Carolina); Joshua Tree (Mojavi Desert in California); Pakistan's Spider Trees; Japanese Maples (Eastern Asia); Giant Sequoias (California); Tree Tunnel (Northern Ireland).

Giant Blobabs (Madagascar); Dead Vlei Trees (renamed Namib in the Namibian Desert); Blossom Cherry Trees (from the German city of Bonn to the guards of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo and to District of Columbia's Basin marking the beginning of spring); California's Redwoods ~ which are the tallest trees in the world growing along the Pacific coast near the Bay area); Bristlecone Pine in the American West; Ponderosa Pines in Bryce Canyon, Utah; Blue Jacaranda in the South Americas;
the Banyan Trees located in Hawaii and Zealand.

Canada's Tall Trees
The second-largest Douglas Fir may have been found near Port Renfrew standing alone in 'a clear-cut' on Vancouver Island ~ estimated 1,000 years old. Canada's largest and greatest is Cheewhat Grant ~ a western cedar in a remote location near Cheewhat Lake within the Pacific Rim National Park (south-western Vancouver Island). The tree measures 20 feet in trunk diameter...182 feet in height...450 feet regular telephone poles worth of wood. It was discovered in 1988.
The Pacific Rim National Park was created in1971.

Plant Survives!
(and so can you and I in dire circumstances)
Little House on the Prairie (now on TV reruns), tells of a family surviving a hurricane in Minnesota that destroyed their rural country home. Alphonso, the husband, married to Laura, was injured and wheel-chair bound. His hope for his family's future was doomed. Loving Laura, their baby and his farm, he gave up hope of ever walking again...of not being a responsible husband...of lacking the ability to reconstruct his collapsed home. One day, he wheel-chaired over to his almost demolished house... ...viewed the broken windows and doors (with the semblance of 'what used to be')...and deriding himself with, “What's the use of even trying to even rebuild my crippled life?”
I wanted to die ~ but now I need to live!

With stunned amazement, he saw Laura's father attempting to assemble the broken pieces. Considering his inabilities, he thought that any resurrection to a 'living home' was impossible.
Unbelieving, he noticed a lonely 'alive green plant' which outlived the hurricane:
green and flourishing at a basement corner, giving him the Will to Live!
To Laura's father, he stated, “I wanted to die ~ but now I want to live!”

With assistance, Alonzo managed to get out of his wheel-chair...
and standing, was able to saw lumber to begin his home restoration.

Like the Joshua Tree, we adapt to our environment ~ whether residing in Canada's Northland or coping with the hot, humid summer days of south-western Ontario. As for me, I choose a Canadian location with pleasure to enjoy Nature's Gift of Four Seasons!

Waterdown Sapling with Vimy Ridge Lineage Receives Heritage Label
Although published a year ago by Natalie Paddon from The Hamilton Spectator,
this sapling of approximately 100 oaks were sent across the country
to commemorate soldiers in battle.
A two-metre sapling that is a direct descendant of the English oaks at Vimy Ridge is the only tree in Hamilton to receive heritage designation. While planted on the grounds of the Waterdown Legion only in June, the Vimy Memorial Oak Tree is significant because of its lineage. The fenced-in sapling is one of approximately 100 oaks sent across the country to commemorate the more than 10,000 Canadian casualties in the Battle of Vimy Ridge. The story of the trees, stems from acorns collected by Canadian soldier, Leslie Miller ~ who died in1979 ~ sent them home. They were planted on his rural Scarborough property, where they grew into a forest of oaks on land now owned by the Scarborough 'Chinese Baptist Church. For the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, efforts were made bygrafting hundreds of branches from the tips of the trees to saplings of English oaks from British Columbia. The work was done at Connon Nurseries in West Flamborough in 2015.
Coun. Judy Partridge suggested putting the tree forward
for Heritage designation. “One hundred years from now, that tree is going to be still standing and I believe it is important that no one chops it down without adhering to the heritage designation.”
“It has created a landscape in Flamborough that's going to highlight
the military history for Canada. It's something that's leaving a legacy.
“On the grounds of the Legion, a green wrought iron fence donated by Versitch Industries Inc. encloses the tree to provide protection. One acorn fell from it last fall.”

Chad Sugg advises: “Love the trees until their leaves fall off ~
then encourage them to try again next year.

Chinese Proverbs: The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is NOW!
Keep a green tree in your heart ~ and perhaps a singing bird will come!

Wise words from Albert Einstein: Look deep into nature ~ then you will understand everything better!

Written by Merle Baird-Kerr...March 13, 2018
Comments appreciated: mbairdkerr@cogeco or inezkate@gmail.com

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