Saturday, November 29, 2014

Sweet gum trees

IMG_1890 as Smart Object-1

I love these trees. They are so colorful and I love the volumes of leaves they drop. (Of course I don't have one, so I might feel differently if I did.) The color is striking as you look down the street lined with these trees.The best part is the reminder that we do have a fall season—even if our afternoons still reach 85 degrees.

IMG_1878 as Smart Object-1As I walked this afternoon, I kept noticing more of these trees. So, I got curious and did a little research. Sweet Gum is named after the amber-colored sweet sap that was scraped from inside the bark to make a chewing gum-like substance. It is the second most utilized commercial wood after oak. It is a fine hard wood used in flooring, furniture, cabinetry, and paneling.

It is also a good source of pulp wood—it makes good quality paper, go figure.

Wow, all this functionality from a tree I just thought was beautiful. This makes me like it better!
IMG_1894 as Smart Object-1

"There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it."  
~ Minnie Aumonier

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