Tree Stalking

OK - so if you read my blog regularly at all - you know I'm a bit odd, and extremely random.

Well, so is my husband. 

Recently we had a big work at home day.  We organized the garage, did a bit of yard work, and performed a moth funeral - that's a whole new story, but yes Aubrie found a dead moth "butterfly" sobbed over it and I buried it and said words over it - then we went to go buy a butterfly bush to remember the moth.

Well, the landscaping joint didn't have butterfly bushes in yet, so that sent us off on a journey to find an amazing tree.  I tree we had only heard about in stories

We went to Pana, Illinois.  I really didn't think that Jade was going to find this mystery tree, but my man is good.  He found it fast!

This is an American Beech.

I was actually on the phone with my Mom when we rolled up on it and I go "Wow".  I had to get off the phone immediately to eye it better.

These pictures don't do it justice.  Because - A - it's a HUGE massive, and extremely old tree and - B - the bark of this baby is so neat.  It's really smooth and muscular - very knotty.

Now we will soon be on a journey to Southern Illinois.  There is only one nursery we know of that carries this tree so we're going to drive 2+ hours to get it.  It's also extremely slow growing, but if it takes until I'm 60 before I get to awe over my own Beech tree - I'm cool with that.  It's worth the wait!