Dogwood on Home Shopping Network

A long time ago parents told their children, "Those berries are only fit for the dogs, leave them alone," marking the producer of the berries as a 'dog tree'.

The branches make fine daggers.  It was called a dagwood tree, later morphing into dogwood.

The leaves were used to make a decoction to wash dogs afflicted with mange.

Dogwood, April 24, 2015

We may never know the true story of how this tree (cornus florida), came to be named American Dogwood.

The Dogwood was introduced to American gardens in 1731.  Thomas Jefferson included it on his list of trees planted at Monticello in 1771.  Jefferson so loved the tree, he shared seeds with friends in France.  The state of Virginia so loved Jefferson and the Dogwood, in 1918 it was named the state tree and state flower.

In spring, the woods are scattered with white, the bracts of the dogwood.  The actual bloom is at the center...the small yellow cluster of flowers. After blooming the juicy green leaves take over the show. This photo was taken at a private garden on Lake Martin in Alabama.  My friends and I stopped to have lunch on a walkway under its canopy.  The almost noonday sun filtered through the leaves offering us an arcadian view and standing out from all its surroundings.

In February I answered a call sent out to artists working with VIDA.  (I have a shop, click HERE.) The call asked American artists to share one piece of work that speaks of the artist's vision for the future.  I immediately thought of this image.  To be outdoors, to protect greenspaces, and to encourage children to get outside are all important. This photo was selected from over one thousand artwork submissions to be part of a special collection offered by VIDA on Home Shopping Network. 

The collection will air on HSN July 6, 9-10pm.  DVR it if you cannot watch.  The stories and inspirations of the artists will be shared with the work.

Item #550-335

Happy Easter

Last week during my visit to Sweetwater Creek I was overwhelmed by the number of beautiful dogwoods I saw blooming in the forest.  So many were above my head.  I could not get a good photo of the bloom in detail.  As I was leaving I found a tree that had blooms down where I could get something.  The photo on the blog today is one of them.  I decided to be different with it -- so many are in full color.  I changed the photo to black and white in Silver Efex and then toned it sepia.  I really like the look.

Happy Easter -- I will share an Easter memory.  When I was little -- maybe 5 -- we went to church on Easter Sunday.  Everyone was dressed in their finest.  The ladies also wore an orchid corsage.  I remember seeing them for sale everywhere in the days leading up to Easter.  I had on a cute Easter dress, the black patent shoes, a hat, and a black patent purse.  As I was sitting on the wooden pew with my parents -- all of a sudden I remembered I had gum in my mouth.  My grandmother would say things about people -- children in particular -- who chewed gum in church.  It was disrespectful.  So I immediately reached to my mouth to remove the gum and place it in a piece of paper in my purse. 

It was then that I remembered I was wearing new white Easter gloves.  Yep -- my gum was wrapped in my glove and stowed in my purse.  So now I never chew gum and wear gloves at the same time.

Have a great day -- and take some photos!