This black walnut tree stands just outside my kitchen window. It was on this hill when my grandparents moved here in 1929, so it has been a member of my family for over 80 years. I believe the tree is at least 100 years old; its girth at four feet is 110 inches. Not especially tall, it has a magnificent wing span as you can see from this winter 2009 photo. My summer photos don’t do it justice. However, in the summer it provides the coolest outdoor site on the hill, and we sit under it to shell peas, snap beans or shuck corn. And sometimes just to rest from chores and enjoy the ever-present breeze. The tree produces plenty of fruit which I gladly share with the squirrels which scamper from limb to limb. Many years ago, chickens scratched and pecked under it, and I climbed up in it. More recently, its limbs have provided support for swings – for grands and great-grands. Its location provides a handy spot for my potting bench and a place to relax while cooking outdoors. Visitors are always impressed as they view the tree and marvel at its natural beauty.
- Penny Glover
