This Tree Was My Mothers Sacred Spot in Her Youth

My Parents left us children a rich heritage.  In one of her letters, Mother wrote the following:  "I was born on March 14, 1902 in a one-room addition to the old log house that was located where the old barn now stands.  In the fall when the leaves came down, we would go to the Sugar Tree, rake up the leaves and play in the leaves.  We would also swing on the long limbs that ran out from the base of the tree.  After I was saved at age 18, the Sugar Tree became my favorite PRAYER Place.  I especially liked it as a  place to read God's WORD because I was far enough away from the house that I felt I could pray aloud.   I remember the Sugar Tree as a place to play and pray.... ...... when I felt that I'd really received a blessing, I would take a maple leaf from the tree and place it in my Bible to remind me that God had really met me there." 

In MY childhood, our only family vacations were to visit our Grandmas.  The  foundest memories are of our Mothers ole' home place where we played in the creek, in the barn and hiking to the Sugar Maple Tree or up the hill to the cemetery were my sister Virginia Merle was burried.  Mother would also show us the little bed she slept in and tell us stories of her childhood in those Virginia hills.

The Sugar Maple tree today is 300 years old, and reported to be second  largest Sugar Maple in Virginia  in trunk circumference.  This tree is the largest for canopy spread and height.  The photo was taken by my nephew, Stephen, and standing by the tree is my oldest brother, Bill.  It was taken last week when they visited the ole' home place.   Thanks Steve for sharing.