Thursday, May 9, 2024
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
Earth's Creatures Stop to Smell the Flowers
Spring often means it is time for you & your pet to explore the great outdoors. But before you & your furry best friend stop & smell the spring flowers, make sure they are not toxic. If you suspect your pet has ingested or been in contact with the plants below, call Pet Poison Helpline ASAP & then contact your veterinary team to keep them updated on the situation.
See Toxic & Non-Toxic Plant List - Dogs https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/dogs-plant-list
Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List - Cats https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/cats-plant-list
These services provide immediate expert advice, and include consultation with your veterinarian if needed. There is a fee, so have a credit card handy. Followup of the case is also included, if needed.
Animal Poison Control Center (ASPCA): 888-426-4435
Pet Poison Helpline: 855-764-7661
These are the top 3 flowers to avoid:
LILIES
Important note: Extremely dangerous for cats.The entire lily family should be avoided by your pet. They contain toxic alkaloids that are extremely dangerous if ingested, especially for cats. True lilies & daylilies are particularly harmful—just a small amount of ingested pollen can cause deadly toxicity in cats. Dogs are slightly more resistant to the toxicity of lilies, but they can become itchy if exposed to these flowers or have some GI upset if they ingest them.
BEGONIAS
Avoid: Begonia grandis, wax begonias, double begonias, fimbriata begonias. These flowers thrive in the springtime, & their stems—particularly the part rooted underground—can cause acute toxicity if ingested by dogs & cats. Similar to our version of hot sauce, if eaten, begonias can result in an extreme burning in your pet’s mouth, swollen tongue or lips, & even difficulty swallowing. If you suspect your pet has swallowed a begonia stem or bulb, take them to an emergency veterinary office for immediate treatment.
AZALEAS
Important note: Just a few ounces of azalea flowers are enough to cause severe toxicity in a large-sized dog. These shrub plants come in a variety of sizes & colors & give off a lovely smell. But, when it comes to azaleas, their beauty should be appreciated from afar as they are toxic to all pets, including horses. These flowers can disrupt the cells in an animal's body, which can cause symptoms from blindness & vomiting, to abnormal heart rate or even death. Make sure to avoid: Formosa azaleas, spider azaleas, Gumpbo pink azaleas, rhododendrons.
Squirrels on the ground up here in the Spring Woods again...
Tuesday, May 7, 2024
Monday, May 6, 2024
Earth's Creatures Stop to Smell the Flowers
Spring often means it is time for you & your pet to explore the great outdoors. But before you & your furry best friend stop & smell the spring flowers, make sure they are not toxic. If you suspect your pet has ingested or been in contact with the plants below, call Pet Poison Helpline ASAP & then contact your veterinary team to keep them updated on the situation.
See Toxic & Non-Toxic Plant List - Dogs https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/dogs-plant-list
Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List - Cats https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/cats-plant-list
These services provide immediate expert advice, and include consultation with your veterinarian if needed. There is a fee, so have a credit card handy. Followup of the case is also included, if needed.
Animal Poison Control Center (ASPCA): 888-426-4435
Pet Poison Helpline: 855-764-7661
These are the top 3 flowers to avoid:
LILIES
Important note: Extremely dangerous for cats.The entire lily family should be avoided by your pet. They contain toxic alkaloids that are extremely dangerous if ingested, especially for cats. True lilies & daylilies are particularly harmful—just a small amount of ingested pollen can cause deadly toxicity in cats. Dogs are slightly more resistant to the toxicity of lilies, but they can become itchy if exposed to these flowers or have some GI upset if they ingest them.
BEGONIAS
Avoid: Begonia grandis, wax begonias, double begonias, fimbriata begonias. These flowers thrive in the springtime, & their stems—particularly the part rooted underground—can cause acute toxicity if ingested by dogs & cats. Similar to our version of hot sauce, if eaten, begonias can result in an extreme burning in your pet’s mouth, swollen tongue or lips, & even difficulty swallowing. If you suspect your pet has swallowed a begonia stem or bulb, take them to an emergency veterinary office for immediate treatment.
AZALEAS
Important note: Just a few ounces of azalea flowers are enough to cause severe toxicity in a large-sized dog. These shrub plants come in a variety of sizes & colors & give off a lovely smell. But, when it comes to azaleas, their beauty should be appreciated from afar as they are toxic to all pets, including horses. These flowers can disrupt the cells in an animal's body, which can cause symptoms from blindness & vomiting, to abnormal heart rate or even death. Make sure to avoid: Formosa azaleas, spider azaleas, Gumpbo pink azaleas, rhododendrons.
Sunday, May 5, 2024
Earth's Creatures Stop to Smell the Flowers
Spring often means it is time for you & your pet to explore the great outdoors. But before you & your furry best friend stop & smell the spring flowers, make sure they are not toxic. If you suspect your pet has ingested or been in contact with the plants below, call Pet Poison Helpline ASAP & then contact your veterinary team to keep them updated on the situation.
See Toxic & Non-Toxic Plant List - Dogs https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/dogs-plant-list
Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List - Cats https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/cats-plant-list
These services provide immediate expert advice, and include consultation with your veterinarian if needed. There is a fee, so have a credit card handy. Followup of the case is also included, if needed.
Animal Poison Control Center (ASPCA): 888-426-4435
Pet Poison Helpline: 855-764-7661
These are the top 3 flowers to avoid:
LILIES
Important note: Extremely dangerous for cats.The entire lily family should be avoided by your pet. They contain toxic alkaloids that are extremely dangerous if ingested, especially for cats. True lilies & daylilies are particularly harmful—just a small amount of ingested pollen can cause deadly toxicity in cats. Dogs are slightly more resistant to the toxicity of lilies, but they can become itchy if exposed to these flowers or have some GI upset if they ingest them.
BEGONIAS
Avoid: Begonia grandis, wax begonias, double begonias, fimbriata begonias. These flowers thrive in the springtime, & their stems—particularly the part rooted underground—can cause acute toxicity if ingested by dogs & cats. Similar to our version of hot sauce, if eaten, begonias can result in an extreme burning in your pet’s mouth, swollen tongue or lips, & even difficulty swallowing. If you suspect your pet has swallowed a begonia stem or bulb, take them to an emergency veterinary office for immediate treatment.
AZALEAS
Important note: Just a few ounces of azalea flowers are enough to cause severe toxicity in a large-sized dog. These shrub plants come in a variety of sizes & colors & give off a lovely smell. But, when it comes to azaleas, their beauty should be appreciated from afar as they are toxic to all pets, including horses. These flowers can disrupt the cells in an animal's body, which can cause symptoms from blindness & vomiting, to abnormal heart rate or even death. Make sure to avoid: Formosa azaleas, spider azaleas, Gumpbo pink azaleas, rhododendrons.
18C Spring - Love & Bird Nests
Saturday, May 4, 2024
Earth's Creatures Stop to Smell the Flowers
Spring & Summer are the perfect time to celebrate the rebirth of Earth's Beauty & Bounty. Flowers gave beauty & inspiration to mankind's basic struggle to live & to populate & to protect his home-base, The Earth. The Lord God took man & put him in the Garden of Eden to work it & to keep it...Genesis 2:15.
The expression came into popular modern use in the 1960s & is a rephrasing of a sentiment found in an autobiography written by the golfer Walter Hagen: “Don’t hurry. Don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.”
Friday, May 3, 2024
Earth's Creatures Stop to Smell the Flowers
Spring often means it is time for you & your pet to explore the great outdoors. But before you & your furry best friend stop & smell the spring flowers, make sure they are not toxic. If you suspect your pet has ingested or been in contact with the plants below, call Pet Poison Helpline ASAP & then contact your veterinary team to keep them updated on the situation.
See Toxic & Non-Toxic Plant List - Dogs https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/dogs-plant-list
Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List - Cats https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/cats-plant-list
These services provide immediate expert advice, and include consultation with your veterinarian if needed. There is a fee, so have a credit card handy. Followup of the case is also included, if needed.
Animal Poison Control Center (ASPCA): 888-426-4435
Pet Poison Helpline: 855-764-7661
These are the top 3 flowers to avoid:
LILIES
Important note: Extremely dangerous for cats.The entire lily family should be avoided by your pet. They contain toxic alkaloids that are extremely dangerous if ingested, especially for cats. True lilies & daylilies are particularly harmful—just a small amount of ingested pollen can cause deadly toxicity in cats. Dogs are slightly more resistant to the toxicity of lilies, but they can become itchy if exposed to these flowers or have some GI upset if they ingest them.
BEGONIAS
Avoid: Begonia grandis, wax begonias, double begonias, fimbriata begonias. These flowers thrive in the springtime, & their stems—particularly the part rooted underground—can cause acute toxicity if ingested by dogs & cats. Similar to our version of hot sauce, if eaten, begonias can result in an extreme burning in your pet’s mouth, swollen tongue or lips, & even difficulty swallowing. If you suspect your pet has swallowed a begonia stem or bulb, take them to an emergency veterinary office for immediate treatment.
AZALEAS
Important note: Just a few ounces of azalea flowers are enough to cause severe toxicity in a large-sized dog. These shrub plants come in a variety of sizes & colors & give off a lovely smell. But, when it comes to azaleas, their beauty should be appreciated from afar as they are toxic to all pets, including horses. These flowers can disrupt the cells in an animal's body, which can cause symptoms from blindness & vomiting, to abnormal heart rate or even death. Make sure to avoid: Formosa azaleas, spider azaleas, Gumpbo pink azaleas, rhododendrons.
Thursday, May 2, 2024
Earth's Creatures Stop to Smell the Flowers
Spring often means it is time for you & your pet to explore the great outdoors. But before you & your furry best friend stop & smell the spring flowers, make sure they are not toxic. If you suspect your pet has ingested or been in contact with the plants below, call Pet Poison Helpline ASAP & then contact your veterinary team to keep them updated on the situation.
See Toxic & Non-Toxic Plant List - Dogs https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/dogs-plant-list
Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List - Cats https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/cats-plant-list
These services provide immediate expert advice, and include consultation with your veterinarian if needed. There is a fee, so have a credit card handy. Followup of the case is also included, if needed.
Animal Poison Control Center (ASPCA): 888-426-4435
Pet Poison Helpline: 855-764-7661
These are the top 3 flowers to avoid:
LILIES
Important note: Extremely dangerous for cats.The entire lily family should be avoided by your pet. They contain toxic alkaloids that are extremely dangerous if ingested, especially for cats. True lilies & daylilies are particularly harmful—just a small amount of ingested pollen can cause deadly toxicity in cats. Dogs are slightly more resistant to the toxicity of lilies, but they can become itchy if exposed to these flowers or have some GI upset if they ingest them.
BEGONIAS
Avoid: Begonia grandis, wax begonias, double begonias, fimbriata begonias. These flowers thrive in the springtime, & their stems—particularly the part rooted underground—can cause acute toxicity if ingested by dogs & cats. Similar to our version of hot sauce, if eaten, begonias can result in an extreme burning in your pet’s mouth, swollen tongue or lips, & even difficulty swallowing. If you suspect your pet has swallowed a begonia stem or bulb, take them to an emergency veterinary office for immediate treatment.
AZALEAS
Important note: Just a few ounces of azalea flowers are enough to cause severe toxicity in a large-sized dog. These shrub plants come in a variety of sizes & colors & give off a lovely smell. But, when it comes to azaleas, their beauty should be appreciated from afar as they are toxic to all pets, including horses. These flowers can disrupt the cells in an animal's body, which can cause symptoms from blindness & vomiting, to abnormal heart rate or even death. Make sure to avoid: Formosa azaleas, spider azaleas, Gumpbo pink azaleas, rhododendrons.
Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Earth's Creatures Stop to Smell the Flowers
Spring often means it is time for you & your pet to explore the great outdoors. But before you & your furry best friend stop & smell the spring flowers, make sure they are not toxic. If you suspect your pet has ingested or been in contact with the plants below, call Pet Poison Helpline ASAP & then contact your veterinary team to keep them updated on the situation.
See Toxic & Non-Toxic Plant List - Dogs https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/dogs-plant-list
Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List - Cats https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/cats-plant-list
These services provide immediate expert advice, and include consultation with your veterinarian if needed. There is a fee, so have a credit card handy. Followup of the case is also included, if needed.
Animal Poison Control Center (ASPCA): 888-426-4435
Pet Poison Helpline: 855-764-7661
These are the top 3 flowers to avoid:
LILIES
Important note: Extremely dangerous for cats.The entire lily family should be avoided by your pet. They contain toxic alkaloids that are extremely dangerous if ingested, especially for cats. True lilies & daylilies are particularly harmful—just a small amount of ingested pollen can cause deadly toxicity in cats. Dogs are slightly more resistant to the toxicity of lilies, but they can become itchy if exposed to these flowers or have some GI upset if they ingest them.
BEGONIAS
Avoid: Begonia grandis, wax begonias, double begonias, fimbriata begonias. These flowers thrive in the springtime, & their stems—particularly the part rooted underground—can cause acute toxicity if ingested by dogs & cats. Similar to our version of hot sauce, if eaten, begonias can result in an extreme burning in your pet’s mouth, swollen tongue or lips, & even difficulty swallowing. If you suspect your pet has swallowed a begonia stem or bulb, take them to an emergency veterinary office for immediate treatment.
AZALEAS
Important note: Just a few ounces of azalea flowers are enough to cause severe toxicity in a large-sized dog. These shrub plants come in a variety of sizes & colors & give off a lovely smell. But, when it comes to azaleas, their beauty should be appreciated from afar as they are toxic to all pets, including horses. These flowers can disrupt the cells in an animal's body, which can cause symptoms from blindness & vomiting, to abnormal heart rate or even death. Make sure to avoid: Formosa azaleas, spider azaleas, Gumpbo pink azaleas, rhododendrons.
The Maypole & Spring Celebrations
In Pagan Rome, Floralia, from April 27-May 3 was the festival of the Flower Goddess Flora & the flowering of Springtime.
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Earth's Creatures Stop to Smell the Flowers
Spring often means it is time for you & your pet to explore the great outdoors. But before you & your furry best friend stop & smell the spring flowers, make sure they are not toxic. If you suspect your pet has ingested or been in contact with the plants below, call Pet Poison Helpline ASAP & then contact your veterinary team to keep them updated on the situation.
See Toxic & Non-Toxic Plant List - Dogs https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/dogs-plant-list
Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List - Cats https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/cats-plant-list
These services provide immediate expert advice, and include consultation with your veterinarian if needed. There is a fee, so have a credit card handy. Followup of the case is also included, if needed.
Animal Poison Control Center (ASPCA): 888-426-4435
Pet Poison Helpline: 855-764-7661
These are the top 3 flowers to avoid:
LILIES
Important note: Extremely dangerous for cats.The entire lily family should be avoided by your pet. They contain toxic alkaloids that are extremely dangerous if ingested, especially for cats. True lilies & daylilies are particularly harmful—just a small amount of ingested pollen can cause deadly toxicity in cats. Dogs are slightly more resistant to the toxicity of lilies, but they can become itchy if exposed to these flowers or have some GI upset if they ingest them.
BEGONIAS
Avoid: Begonia grandis, wax begonias, double begonias, fimbriata begonias. These flowers thrive in the springtime, & their stems—particularly the part rooted underground—can cause acute toxicity if ingested by dogs & cats. Similar to our version of hot sauce, if eaten, begonias can result in an extreme burning in your pet’s mouth, swollen tongue or lips, & even difficulty swallowing. If you suspect your pet has swallowed a begonia stem or bulb, take them to an emergency veterinary office for immediate treatment.
AZALEAS
Important note: Just a few ounces of azalea flowers are enough to cause severe toxicity in a large-sized dog. These shrub plants come in a variety of sizes & colors & give off a lovely smell. But, when it comes to azaleas, their beauty should be appreciated from afar as they are toxic to all pets, including horses. These flowers can disrupt the cells in an animal's body, which can cause symptoms from blindness & vomiting, to abnormal heart rate or even death. Make sure to avoid: Formosa azaleas, spider azaleas, Gumpbo pink azaleas, rhododendrons.
Monday, April 29, 2024
Spring - Love & Bird Nests
In this allegory of Spring, a man holds the hands of a bashful young woman. He points to two doves billing beside him, while a boy on the right plays with a bird's nest, and an old woman looking on from behind a tree & a fence seems upset.
Earth's Creatures Stop to Smell the Flowers
Spring often means it is time for you & your pet to explore the great outdoors. But before you & your furry best friend stop & smell the spring flowers, make sure they are not toxic. If you suspect your pet has ingested or been in contact with the plants below, call Pet Poison Helpline ASAP & then contact your veterinary team to keep them updated on the situation.
See Toxic & Non-Toxic Plant List - Dogs https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/dogs-plant-list
Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List - Cats https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/cats-plant-list
These services provide immediate expert advice, and include consultation with your veterinarian if needed. There is a fee, so have a credit card handy. Followup of the case is also included, if needed.
Animal Poison Control Center (ASPCA): 888-426-4435
Pet Poison Helpline: 855-764-7661
These are the top 3 flowers to avoid:
LILIES
Important note: Extremely dangerous for cats.The entire lily family should be avoided by your pet. They contain toxic alkaloids that are extremely dangerous if ingested, especially for cats. True lilies & daylilies are particularly harmful—just a small amount of ingested pollen can cause deadly toxicity in cats. Dogs are slightly more resistant to the toxicity of lilies, but they can become itchy if exposed to these flowers or have some GI upset if they ingest them.
BEGONIAS
Avoid: Begonia grandis, wax begonias, double begonias, fimbriata begonias. These flowers thrive in the springtime, & their stems—particularly the part rooted underground—can cause acute toxicity if ingested by dogs & cats. Similar to our version of hot sauce, if eaten, begonias can result in an extreme burning in your pet’s mouth, swollen tongue or lips, & even difficulty swallowing. If you suspect your pet has swallowed a begonia stem or bulb, take them to an emergency veterinary office for immediate treatment.
AZALEAS
Important note: Just a few ounces of azalea flowers are enough to cause severe toxicity in a large-sized dog. These shrub plants come in a variety of sizes & colors & give off a lovely smell. But, when it comes to azaleas, their beauty should be appreciated from afar as they are toxic to all pets, including horses. These flowers can disrupt the cells in an animal's body, which can cause symptoms from blindness & vomiting, to abnormal heart rate or even death. Make sure to avoid: Formosa azaleas, spider azaleas, Gumpbo pink azaleas, rhododendrons.
Earth's Creatures Stop to Smell the Flowers
Spring & Summer are the perfect time to celebrate the rebirth of Earth's Beauty & Bounty. Flowers gave beauty & inspiration to mankind's basic struggle to live & to populate & to protect his home-base, The Earth. Holding on to The Sweet Divine - The Lord God took man & put him in the Garden of Eden to work it & to keep it...Genesis 2:15.
The expression came into popular modern use in the 1960s & is a rephrasing of a sentiment found in an autobiography written by the golfer Walter Hagen: “Don’t hurry. Don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.”
17C Myths of Spring around a Garden
In Pagan Rome, Floralia, from April 27-May 3 was the festival of the Flower Goddess Flora & the flowering of Springtime. Roman Catholic traditions of adoring statues of Mary with garlands of flowers on May 1 have Roman Pagan roots. On May 1, offerings were made to Bona Dea (as Mother Earth), the Lares (household guardian spirits), & Maia (Goddess of Increase) from whom May gets its name. On May 1, early cultures followed a pastoral tradition of turning sheep, cows, other livestock out to pasture. In early Scandinavia, mock battles between Winter & Summer were enacted at this time.
Fire is a common accompaniment to many of the nearly here May celebrations. Celebrants mark the holiday by lighting fires, dancing, feasting & often performing fertility rites. Many built a bonfire & then moved through it or danced clockwise around it. Livestock was driven around a Beltane fire or between 2 fires for purification & fertility blessings. In ancient times Druid priests kindled it at sacred places. In later times, Christian priests kindled their spring fires in fields near the church after peforming a Christian church service. Branches & twigs often were carried around these fire 3 times, then hung over hearths to bless homes. Risk-takers made a wish for good luck before jumping a bonfire or the flame of a candle. Beltane may refer to the “fires of Bel,” in honor of the Celtic sun god, Belenus. Some pagans believe fire has the power to cleanse, purify & increase fertility.
Some believed during May the veil between the human & supernatural worlds is at its thinnest, making them potent days for magic.
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Allegory of Spring - In a Garden
People appear to work in the walled sunken garden behind the group. A man hands a flower to a young woman sitting on a terrace with her attendant standing behind them. A boy at right has a parrot perched on his hand. They are in a garden with a statue of a Venus & an arch at left, through which a couple can be seen in an embrace. Plants in pots dot the area around the group.
Saturday, April 27, 2024
Earth's Creatures Stop to Smell the Flowers
Spring often means it is time for you & your pet to explore the great outdoors. But before you & your furry best friend stop & smell the spring flowers, make sure they are not toxic. If you suspect your pet has ingested or been in contact with the plants below, call Pet Poison Helpline ASAP & then contact your veterinary team to keep them updated on the situation.
See Toxic & Non-Toxic Plant List - Dogs https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/dogs-plant-list
Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List - Cats https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/cats-plant-list
These services provide immediate expert advice, and include consultation with your veterinarian if needed. There is a fee, so have a credit card handy. Followup of the case is also included, if needed.
Animal Poison Control Center (ASPCA): 888-426-4435
Pet Poison Helpline: 855-764-7661
These are the top 3 flowers to avoid:
LILIES
Important note: Extremely dangerous for cats.The entire lily family should be avoided by your pet. They contain toxic alkaloids that are extremely dangerous if ingested, especially for cats. True lilies & daylilies are particularly harmful—just a small amount of ingested pollen can cause deadly toxicity in cats. Dogs are slightly more resistant to the toxicity of lilies, but they can become itchy if exposed to these flowers or have some GI upset if they ingest them.
BEGONIAS
Avoid: Begonia grandis, wax begonias, double begonias, fimbriata begonias. These flowers thrive in the springtime, & their stems—particularly the part rooted underground—can cause acute toxicity if ingested by dogs & cats. Similar to our version of hot sauce, if eaten, begonias can result in an extreme burning in your pet’s mouth, swollen tongue or lips, & even difficulty swallowing. If you suspect your pet has swallowed a begonia stem or bulb, take them to an emergency veterinary office for immediate treatment.
AZALEAS
Important note: Just a few ounces of azalea flowers are enough to cause severe toxicity in a large-sized dog. These shrub plants come in a variety of sizes & colors & give off a lovely smell. But, when it comes to azaleas, their beauty should be appreciated from afar as they are toxic to all pets, including horses. These flowers can disrupt the cells in an animal's body, which can cause symptoms from blindness & vomiting, to abnormal heart rate or even death. Make sure to avoid: Formosa azaleas, spider azaleas, Gumpbo pink azaleas, rhododendrons.
16C Spring Allegories - Hunting, & Shearing Sheep & Finding a Bird for the Lady
Friday, April 26, 2024
Arbor Day - Some Famous Trees in The United States include
The Liberty Tree in Boston, Massachusetts
On August 14, 1765, a defiant group of American colonists rallied beneath the mighty boughs of a century-old elm tree to protest the enactment of the highly unpopular Stamp Act. The young rebels, who called themselves the Sons of Liberty, decorated the tree with banners, lanterns & effigies of the British stamp master & prime minister.
Over the next decade, patriots regularly gathered around the tree for meetings, speeches & celebrations until British soldiers & Loyalists under siege in Boston chopped it into firewood during the summer of 1775. The Liberty Tree became such a powerful patriotic symbol that towns throughout the colonies followed Boston’s lead in designating their own versions.
The Liberty Tree was an elm that was planted in 1646 about one block east of the Boston Common. Prior to the American Revolution, angry dissenters of British rule & taxation, used the tree to hang effigies of men who supported the hated Stamp Act & also hung lanterns on its branches to symbolize unity.
As news of the Liberty Tree spread, local patriots in all 13 colonies formed their own patriotic liberty groups & chose a large tree or erected a pole to be used as a meeting place. During the siege of Boston in August 1775, Loyalists cut the original tree down & used it for firewood.
This act further united the livid patriotic colonists & flags with the Liberty Tree emblem were often displayed at the battles of the American Revolution. The Liberty Tree became a symbol for liberty & resistance to tyranny.
Thomas Jefferson wrote, “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants.”
After England’s King James II assumed the throne, he sought to revoke the royal charter issued to Connecticut in 1662 by his predecessor & late brother, King Charles II. The colonists of Connecticut, however, had no desire to turn over the document & relinquish the limited autonomy that it granted.
According to legend, the king’s royal governor, Sir Edmund Andros, met with colonial leaders in a Hartford meeting house soon after his arrival in 1687. After the governor demanded the charter, the candles in the room suddenly blew out. When light was restored, the parchment had vanished. Captain Joseph Wadsworth supposedly squirreled the document away in the trunk of a nearby white oak tree. The charter remained in colonial custody & was used to govern Connecticut until 1818. The centuries-old “Charter Oak,” which blew down in a storm in 1856, remains a treasured state symbol.
The 9/11 Survivor Tree in New York City
Weeks after the attacks of September 11, 2001, recovery workers at Ground Zero discovered a lone sign of life amid the rubble of the World Trade Center—a Callery pear tree, crushed & scorched, yet somehow still alive. The New York City Parks Department transplanted an eight-foot stump of the severely damaged tree to a Bronx nursery & slowly nursed it back to health. The “Survivor Tree” was replanted at the site in 2010 & is now part of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum as a symbol of survival & resilience.
How Washington, D.C. Got Its Japanese Cherry Trees
The flowering of the cherry trees, living symbols of peace between the United States & Japan, lining the Tidal Basin is an annual rite of spring in Washington, D.C. The first shipment of Japanese cherry trees that arrived in 1910 was infected with insects & parasitic worms & ordered destroyed by President William Taft. The second shipment of more than 3,000 cherry trees, composed of a dozen varieties gifted by Tokyo, arrived in March 1912 in perfect condition & were planted on the parkland reclaimed from the Potomac River’s mud flats.
In the fall of 1861, the children of enslaved people who had escaped to the refuge of Union-held Fort Monroe gathered underneath the sprawling canopy of a southern live oak to listen to free African American Mary Smith Peake as she began to teach them how to read & write. Previously, enslaved people had been forbidden an education under Virginia law. Underneath the same oak tree, now on the grounds of Hampton University, African Americans congregated in 1863 to listen to the first reading in the South of the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln.