Tree House USA

for·est /ˈfɔrɪst, ˈfɒr-/
–noun
1. a large tract of land covered with trees and underbrush; woodland.
2. the trees on such a tract: to cut down a forest.
3. a tract of wooded grounds in England formerly belonging to the sovereign and set apart for game.
4. a thick cluster of vertical objects: a forest of church spires.
–verb (used with object)
5. to supply or cover with trees; convert into a forest.

During the years I have planted several...


The river birch. I actually tried planting two other trees here but they kept dying. Too much water but this one liked it.


This Japanese Maple was a twig when I moved to Germany in 2001. I was hoping the renters would not pull it out thinking it was a weed.


I am thinking of cutting this trinity or Cleveland pear down. It never grew right and now it is damaged from the ice storm.


Now the backyard...

A crabapple. I took this picture too late. The blossoms were better a few days prior but nobody wanted to take another picture by the tree!



The purple leaf plum. It is actually my second one. I had planted a purple leaf plum in the front yard. Well, actually I thought it was a purple leaf plum but it turned out to be a plum tree. Real nice to but it was planted between my driveway and retaining wall so every summer we had plums in my driveway and my neighbors yard. So when I was renting it out, I told the neighbor he could cut it down if it was a nuisance - i left July 2001 and I think he cut it down the next day. Too late right?


Another crabapple. I am thinking about moving it.


Another cleveland or trinity pear. Probably firewood someday when a strong wind or ice storm comes through again.


Okay I went a little overboard with the trees! But I love planting them, digging a new hole and moving them. Some people collect comics, toys, cars - I collect trees. My weird obsession.

When I moved in all I had was this cedar tree in the backyard. A friend actually offered to cut it down. But oh no. I could not cut down a 20+ year old tree. Now I have a real eyesore in the backyard. Hmmm, maybe I can plant something in front of it. As you can see, it too was damaged in the GREAT ICE STORM OF 2008.


This is one of the first trees I planted - my red bud (gotta support the Sooner state) and a Bradford pear - because I actually liked these trees at one time.



The Bradford pear did not survive the ice storm and here is my only picture...


So I cut it down - RIP Stumpy 1994 to 2008.



Soon to be replace by this Flame Amur Clump Maple - red leaves in the fall.



So come on over and check out the trees in the spring when they are blooming or the fall when the leaves change. But watch out for the "treats" Lucky leaves behind.

Wow and while editing this post I realized I forgot to mention the Chinese Pistache...How could I forget that! Next to the cedar tree it is now my biggest tree in the backyard.