MY FAVORITE TREE

I have always admired a specific tree in town. It's a very special tree for me and I look forward to its appearance each year. It hides during the winter in its special place with the cars in a garage. Like me, it's sensitive to temperatures, but thrives when all elements are right.

This Schefflera plant, also known as the umbrella plant, has beautiful dark green leaves which form "fingers" in a circle. Well cared for, this plant will grow for years. It must be repotted into a larger pot the bigger it grows. The plant must be fertilized each month and the under side of the leaves watched for spider mites which need to be immediately treated with a pesticide. The plant's growth slows down as it goes dormant during its winter indoor storage.

I have watched this tree grow year after year. I drive by to just look at it as much as I can. The tree's owner is a long-time friend and he knows of my admiration for his tree.

I must admire it from afar, because I don't have the space for one at my home - and I don't have access to a bobcat or loader. This tree is so big and so heavy that it must be transported in and out of its winter storage via a piece of heavy equipment.

From Mother's Day in May to whenever the weather starts to turn chilly in the fall, this majestic tree stands tall on the porch of Kirkpatrick Funeral Home on Washington Avenue.



If you drive by to see what I call "my tree," you can't help but admire its beauty and growth, as the owner, Roger Kirkpatrick, takes very good care of it. Stop and see it to enjoy the glory of nature in green.

Hat's off to the green thumb in the family, Diana Kirkpatrick, who does a superb job each year filling the yard with flowers and color to make their corner lot burst with nature's best. It's always a joy to see their flowers and well-kept grounds. Walking in their yard is to savor the beauty of a great garden. I can't help taking photos each year.