My Dogwood

Five years ago, when I was house-hunting, a dogwood tree was on the unofficial list of things I was looking for in a house and garden.  I first came to admire dogwood trees twenty years ago when I lived in the South.  The occasional dogwood tree could be seen when I lived in the Midwest but the wind and cold were generally prohibitive; dogwoods prefer a milder climate.  In New Jersey, dogwoods do quite nicely.  And at Sassafras House, I have one in the backyard.  With a wagon underneath, it stands guard by the fence in a corner of the yard, keeping watch over the air conditioner, a bed of hostas, and the hydrangeas.  I admire it from the pantry window each morning.  This fall, it's as lovely as ever.  And so I've decided to make a picture of it each Sunday morning to watch as the leaves change colors and then fall from the tree.

 Autumn is so lovely.