The great French Marshall Lyautey once asked his gardener to plant a tree. The gardener objected that the tree was slow growing and would not reach maturity for 100 years.

The Marshall replied, “In that case, there is no time to lose;

plant it this afternoon!”

 As told to by John F. Kennedy

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Quiet Places - Landscapes and Forest

“The true meaning of life is to plant trees,

under whose shade you do not expect to sit.”

Nelson Henderson  

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Looking Up

“A tree is a tree - how many more do you need to look at?”

Ronald Reagan, former U.S. President 

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Unidentified trees in Coppell, Texas - Northeastern TX; located in a popular city park near a canal and flood zone. Other similar trees nearby do not have such pronounced zigzag protrusions, possibly because they are younger, that’s only a guess. The first photo shows bark with the most exaggerated texture, almost tropical looking.

The second photo I think might be Hackberry, and it also has a range of nodule shapes…some layered and worty, others varying to smooth with short thorns on them. They are all growing in the same stand of forest, so I wonder if these are all interbreeding species of Hackberry? 

 Any guesses or positive identification?

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Eastern Cottonwood Unidentified Growth

Growing alongside the Ottawa River, Ontario, Canada, all of the branches ended with these oddly shaped, hard, glossy growths on Eastern Cottonwood, about 3 x 3 inches. If they appeared more randomly on the branches I would suspect insect galls for sure, but they all look like they belong there, and they are all basically uniform in shape and size. Are they seed heads? I don’t think so. I’ve looked up ID in many different websites and have not found the ID .

Flowers, fruit, seeds? Does anyone know what these are?

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 The Man Who Planted Trees

Author Jean Giono writes of a quiet man of admirable character who lives alone and quietly plants trees every day in the south of France during the early twentieth century. The narrative, alongside music beautifully orchestrated, and every detail of the animated vignette draws us in to know and believe that we each can make a difference in this world, and it need not be in aggressive fashion or with a motive to attain personal recognition for our efforts.

The 30 minute animated film was illustrated by french Canadian Artist Frederic Back, who won numerous awards for the work between 1987 and 1992 and shown on Canadian television’s National Film Board Vignettes. To see examples of a few of Frederic Back’s illustrations from this film and learn more about his career: http://www.awn.com/gallery/back/overview.html 

Copies of this highly acclaimed film can be purchased online in a set of four of his best known works for CDN $42.99 at:

http://www.cbcshop.ca/CBC/shopping/product.aspx?Product_ID=FTSRC00202&Variant_ID=SRC3-3739&lang=en-CA

School teachers can obtain copies of this short film at a much better rate by phoning (Canada): 

 1-(514)-597-7986   or   1-(514)-597-3761    or Fax  1-(514)-597-3761

or write to:

Gregoria Mundele,    Conseiller, Ventes Institutionnelles,     Sales Consultant,    Education Services educatifs,    Merchandising Division,   Societe Radio-Canada-CBC,  C.P. 6000 , Succursale A, Montreal, Quebec H3C 3A8 Canada

An alternative version of The Man Who Planted Trees illustrated with woodcuts is available as books, audio, video, and cassettes is obtainable through Chelsea Green Publishing: http://www.chelseagreen.com/1995/items/manwhoplantedcd