I wrote this title with my tongue in my cheek. When you scroll through the pictures, you’ll see why. It’s not that we don’t have any trees that turn lovely shades of gold, orange, and red each autumn. There are some if you look hard enough. We even have some with leaves turning brown that will slowly, continuously shed until March. Those would be the water oaks, like I have in my yard.

However, our Gulf Coast area is know for its live oaks. Many of them are hundreds of years old and line our city streets. Live oaks are considered evergreens that grow up to 80 feet tall and twice as wide. The first picture at top looks like a good example.

This is a primary thoroughfare, and one of the oldest streets in town. City ordinances prohibit removing the live oaks, and careful trimming must preserve the overarching effect of the limbs whenever possible. Years of pollution have inhibited much of the spanish moss here, but you still see it draping itself on trees in areas that don’t have as much traffic.

I wish I had taken this picture with a person standing beside this massive trunk to give a perspective on just how big it is. This is likely a very old oak tree.

Palms and pines are plentiful evergreens as well, but they don’t command the same respect as our live oaks.

Many old neighborhoods have a combination of live oaks, water oaks, and pine trees. These shady streets give a little respite from the relentless heat of summer, and aren’t bare all winter.

Years ago, I hosted a couple from the California desert. They spent a week as our guest speakers/musicians at a camp in the Conecuh forest of south Alabama.

It was a hot and humid July. The surrounding trees made them feel as if they were smothering everytime they went outside – just the opposite of their familiar and beloved wide-open, dry California desert’s heat.

Rather than enjoy the lake, they chose to remain in the air conditioned lodge all week. I guess it takes more than a week to acclimitize to all this evergreen beauty.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Ecclesiastes 3:11

Enjoy your fall colors, if that’s what you see around you.

Otherwise, find the beauty in whatever your surroundings might be.

Shalom, Dottie