See He Liked The Tree

Here are some pictures of our son actually enjoying The Angel Tree outside of Charleston, SC.

 When you see this ancient tree it feels almost sacred.

    

Keirnan said that he wouldn't be surprised to see Hobbits, Pixies, Trolls, or something mythical running along the branches.

This is the Base of the tree. It's approximately 25 feet in diameter. To think it was here before European explorers landed in America, and lived through countless hurricanes, diseases, and several wars.

Finding My Roots

Growing up my mother's family told us we were part Cherokee. I never thought much about it although it puzzled me that beyond declaring we were they never expounded or shared anything else. As I grew older and did some genealogy I found discrepancies with this. The area that the ancestors were from didn't match up to the ancestral territory of the Cherokees. I don't doubt we have Native American ancestry, just not Cherokee. What few pictures I saw of my mother's family left little room for doubt that they had Native American bloodlines. The facial features and even their coloration fit. What didn't fit was none of them came from or even lived in the right area of North Carolina to be Cherokee. All lived in the coastal area, just a few miles from each other. Years later while living in Oklahoma my wife and II visited a Powwow at Anadarko. We went to a museum there and talked to one of the Curators. He asked me what tribe I came from. When I told him my family told us we were Cherokee he chuckled and said "Everyone wants to be Cherokee, because it's popular to be Cherokee!" he explained that because of the infamy of the "Trail of tears" anyone who might be Native American jumped on their band wagon. He told of the different celebrities who helped popularize this and told me to find out who my people really were. That search lead me to my hometown area with it's much forgotten people, the Weapemeoc and the lesser tribe the Pasquatank. This is my heritage. below are links to a map for the Ancestral Territory of the Cherokee and the description of the Weapemeoc home lands. More specifically we are of the Yeopim tribe from the north east comer of North Carolina and bordering Virginia.

Ancestral Cherokee Territory
Weopemeoc Details

My Blog Story Begins

This is my story. It will take you through many Decades, States, Countries, and Ideas. I will share my feelings and my joys.

 My favorite things are the wonders of the earth. Our Heavenly Father has created remarkable environs as diverse as they are beautiful. Having lived in many states during my life I have found beauty in them all. I enjoy sharing them with my wife and children. On our 35th anniversary I am thankful for my wonderful wife.

 When we visited Charleston, SC last year I wanted to visit a tree. I know Keirnan said the same thing "A Tree, for real!" well it wasn't any tree it was the most fabulous ancient tree I have ever seen. This is the Angel Tree and is estimated at 1400+yrs old. A very remarkable Oak Tree.

 It's been wonderful weather lately so the bike will be coming out soon. Take time to stop and smell the roses(or whatever flowers are blooming). Daphne teaches this principal  quite well.