Picture of the day - December 15, 2006

Uncle Jerry's "Mistletoe Tree"

High on the hill above Uncle Jerry's house stands a black gum tree that perennially has dozens of clumps of mistletoe growing on its branches. This "mistletoe tree" isn't actually on Jerry's property, but most people think it is.  And since Jerry and Eleanor like to look at it from their living room window I like to call it "Jerry's mistletoe tree". For many decades now, people have visited the tall black gum to gather a sprig or two of mistletoe during the Christmas season. Some "shoot" it out with a shotgun, others try to "knock" it out by throwing rocks or sticks, and a brave few even climb up into the tree to gather their bounty by hand. They rarely leave empty-handed, and there is always plenty of the feisty parasitic shrub to go around. I guess you could say that mistletoe represents love since it's customary to kiss when passing underneath it, so I think it's very appropriate that Jerry and Eleanor have their very own mistletoe tree standing high above them on that hill. You see, they'll be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary next month, and even as they struggle with some very serious health problems, their deep love for one another still remains just as strong as ever. Jerry and Eleanor don't have to gather mistletoe and hang it above a doorway - all they have to do is look up on the hill and they'll see plenty of it growing strong in Jerry's mistletoe tree.   Submit a photo of your own! Picture of the day archives