Cue the Music . . .

Cue the music,

Drum roll please . . . .

I present:

Grancy Greybeard!

Every Spring it happens and it always makes me smile. Just as the days are getting warmer and the azaleas begin to fade, the little tree in my front yard dons it's fanciest clothes.

Quite a few years ago, I was gifted this tree, when it was little more than a twig as a thank you for some sewing I'd done for a friend. I had never heard of a Grancy Greybeard tree and had no idea what I was in store for, but planted it in the front yard, near the street. I'm so glad that's the spot I picked! It's a favorite spot for mockingbirds when the branches are bare, but when Spring arrives , it seems that it is magically transformed overnight into a lacy wonder.

(this photo was taken just a little over a week ago)

And now:

Several of my older neighbors are familiar with the species and almost always stop by to comment on her lacy attire. While rarely used in landscapes around here now, apparently, the Grancy Greybeard is frequently found in Southern forests. The root & bark of this small, ornamental tree were even used by the native Americans to treat skin inflammation.