Going Out on a Limb - Arbor Day Around the Globe

Trees.

Life-giving, majestic, sentinels of time. We line driveways, create memorials, use as privacy buffers, climb on, hang from, and depend upon them for resources. They flourish in our books, movies, and Art of many mediums. Yet our thoughts and attention go deeper than the day-to-day applications. 

What is our fascination?

AI answered my question with the hypothesis that this “stems from a deep, multi-faceted connection, blending physical, emotional, and biological factors. Trees offer essential life-giving benefits (oxygen, shade, resources), possess calming aesthetic beauty, and foster a sense of grounding and permanence.” Additionally, AI surmised we benefit from reduced stress in their calming presence. I agree with the point that older trees “evoke a sense of history, wisdom, and stability.” The realization that trees communicate, share nutrients, and support one another adds to the wonder.

I am not alone in my fondness for trees. As a collective, the United States celebrates trees on Arbor Day. What I did not realize is that states declare this on different months and days. It makes sense as the seasons switch by region, and therefore planting parameters as trees burst forth in flower and unfurl their leaves at varying times.

On April 12, 1872, Nebraska City, Nebraska established roots of the very first Arbor Day. You can read the history in Carla Olson Gade’s post. After this historic event, other states joined the revelry. Now over 50 countries participate as well. Impressive that the efforts and initiative of one man in 1872 who addressed a need for trees in the barren plains of America spread across the globe. To date, over 500 million trees have been planted! (I read posts of an earlier celebration by Spain in 1594 but couldn't find a solid source or agreement of the location.)

From humble beginnings of shovels and hands, this day now monitored by The Arbor Day Foundation has scientific support and detailed planning. According to their website, they "use GIS mapping, environmental, socio-economic, and location data paired with local guidance to identify areas of greatest need." Combined efforts worldwide aid in replenishing this natural resource.

In honor of the upcoming Arbor Day on April 24th in Georgia, I would like to share some stellar trees we visited recently across the country. Join me at our first stop Point Defiance, Washington with its monumental trees. 

I'm not sure which specimen you see at left in all its stately glory. Below, left and right, say a hearty hello to Giant Sequoia ‘70437’ at 8.36m/27.43’ in girth and 39.02m/128.01’ tall. Goodness that is a lovely tree. Despite a document providing statistics on 22 of the resident trees, I could not find an estimated age. I queried and found it is probably relatively young at anywhere from 50-150 years. Sequoias can reach full height of nearly 250-300 feet. Can you imagine? I took the second photo at bottom right sheltered beneath its lacy limbs. Snuggled under the canopy, childhood stories danced in my thoughts. What a special spot.

  

There are many other old growth and interesting trees at Point Defiance. With each encounter, I wondered what they witnessed over the years. The people passing. Technology changing. From horses to horse and buggy, to cars, and eventually planes flying overhead. All the while the steadfast tree extends roots deep below and branches wide. Embracing our exhales and releasing a gift we often take for granted.

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Our next stop is John's Island near Charleston, South Carolina. Wait until you see this Low Country Treasure. Estimated at over 400 years, this Live Oak Tree is 65 feet tall and about 28 feet around. It shades roughly 17,000 square feet of area. The longest branch is 187 feet! The caretakers of the Angel Oak supported some of its limbs and repaired others. Visitors flock to this mammoth tree each year in droves. The parcel now housing Angel Oak Park was part of a 1717 land grant to Abraham Waight. Later, in the mid-1800s, Justis and Martha Angel acquired the land. Hence the name Angel.

Do we even need words?


   

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Take a walk around the Angel Oak with me...

And another view...

Look at those limbs...

Our last stop is with the Patriot Tree at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. To be honest, this was a bonus. I had no idea we would cross paths with this sentinel. We visited our son last week and stopped to appreciate this 175 year old Live Oak. Imagine, this tree existed in this very spot before the Civil War changed the landscape. How's that for perspective?

That concludes our current tour. Which was your favorite? 

If you would like to read some prior posts featuring trees:

Liberty Trees
Trail Trees
Trail Trees II
Stave Churches, fashioned from trees and an old lilac tree to boot.

Rebecca and her husband share a townhouse with their rescued dog named Ranger, who is not spoiled in the least. They are enjoying a new season nestled in a quaint southeastern US city. She is a proud mom of an American soldier and an Aerospace grad student. If it were up to Rebecca, she would be traveling - right now. First up, trips to see their two grown sons. As a member of ACFW and FHLCW, she tackles the craft of fiction while learning from a host of generous writers.

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Knitting and Spying by Nancy J. Farrier

 Do you like to knit? Do you have the nerve to knit in the middle of an enemy stronghold and work messages into your knitting to pass on to your country’s armed forces? That is what the women featured in today’s blog did during war time. I salute them for their bravery and determination. Let’s take a look at what they accomplished and how they alerted their forces using their needlework.

Knit/Purl Stitches by WillowW
Wikimedia Commons

First, keep in mind how knitting is done. There are two basic stitches. The knit stitch looks like a “v” and the purl stitch makes a small bump. Also, dropped stitches were used to make a hole. That means these patterns could have been read by feel in low light if needed. Plus, women were encouraged to knit and make items to help soldiers, so nothing was thought about a woman sitting in her window or in public with her knitting needles clicking away. Little did the opposition realize that she didn’t have to focus on her work, but could be watching and listening to later report conversations and movements. A perfect spy!

Phyllis Latour Doyle

Phyllis joined the RAF in 1941 after a friend was killed by Nazi soldiers. She planned to train to be an airplane mechanic but others noted her potential. Because her father was French, Phyllis grew up speaking fluent French and would be valuable as a spy behind lines. She agreed to become a spy and was trained by a cat burglar to do things like cross a roof top undetected.

1904 Picture of
Woman Knitting

At the end of her training, Phyllis parachuted into Normandy. She pretended to be a teenager to throw off suspicion. She traveled by bicycle and chatted with German soldiers. She would then go someplace secret, bring out her knitting and use one of her 2,000 codes to send a message. She would hide the knitted message by winding the strip around a knitting needle and inserting it in a hair tie. Each time she used one of the codes she’d been given she would mark the code, so she wouldn’t use it again.

Phyllis had to keep on the move. She would send her message and then go quickly before the Germans could trace the source of the message. They did not catch her. She often had to sleep on the forest floor unless she found some Allied sympathizers. She ate what food she could find and was often hungry, but she always had her knitting and her silk thread she used for her patterns.

In 2014, Phyllis was awarded the Legion of Honour, France’s highest decoration. She did not want to get this award but did it for her family. She was 93 at the time. Her family found out about her spy work in the late 1900’s when one of her sons read about her on the internet. She did not want to brag about the service she’d done for her country.

Madame Lavengle

WWI Ad for Knitting
By Marguerite Martyn
Wikimedia Commons

During WWI the Germans occupied her home putting her and her children at risk. Madame Lavengle did not quake in fear. Instead, she joined the resistance and used her knitting and her children to send coded messages right under the noses of the Germans in her home.

In an upper room, Lavengle sat at a window knitting. Every day she would sit there and knit. Such an innocent pastime, right? Meanwhile, she would tap her foot on the floor and her children below her would copy down the code she signaled with the tapping. The German Marshall in her home never suspected she was gathering and passing on information. Amazing.

Molly “Mom” Rinker

Molly Rinker owned a tavern during the Revolutionary War. She often had British soldiers in her town and in her tavern. She wanted to do something to help the Revolution, so she would go to the park and sit on a high hill or rock and knit. As she watched and listened, she would tie knots in her ball of yarn as a code. Then she would drop the yarn at a certain place for the Revolutionary soldiers to find. In this way, a woman in a lowly occupation, helped out her fledgling country. Thank you, Molly.

Binary Pattern by Kurt Pippen Fowler

Many people enjoy the art of knitting. With the onset of computer coding and languages, knitters learned to do patterns in binary language. When Morse code was invented, they used a variation of stitches to make the dot and dash for Morse code and sent messages that way. Knitting is so much more than making a pretty garment.

Do you knit? Do you do another type of needlework? Would you have been brave enough to be a spy? To be dropped behind enemy lines and send coded messages? Or to gather information right under the enemy’s noses? What a challenge and what amazing women.

Nancy J Farrier is an award-winning, best-selling author who lives in Southern Arizona in the Sonoran Desert. She loves the Southwest with its interesting historical past. When Nancy isn’t writing, she loves to read, do needlecraft, play with her cats and dog, and spend time with her family. You can read more about Nancy and her books on her website: nancyjfarrier.com.

Echoes of the Ancient New Testament Cities: Ephesus

Matthew J. Elliott

Roads in Ephesus - Britannica

As many of those who read this blog know, the stories I write are Biblical Fiction. One of the best parts of being that type of storyteller is the research that I do that makes it possible to write the stories that I do. I have always enjoyed the challenge of taking something like the Early Church, the figures who lived during that period, and tying it all together into one of my stories. 

The city of Ephesus is by far the one I have done the most research on since I started writing these stories, and it’s not because I am writing an episodic series set there. While that is partly why I began my research into the city, the reason I wanted to write a story about that city was because it has always fascinated me. There is something about the city that has truly captured my curiosity. 

Why? Well… because there have always been more connections in that city throughout scripture than almost any other city in the New Testament. Even as a child, I was drawn to the letter to the Ephesians because something stayed with me every time I had to read the letter. In all honesty, I own more devotionals about that letter than any of the others. The first bible study I remember teaching used that letter as the study material. 

Port of Ephesus - theephesus.com

Ephesus was the third-largest city in the Roman Empire (only Rome and Alexandria were bigger) and was a major port city. The Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was the crown jewel of the city. Multiple figures from the early church spent time ministering to those living within the city gates. It was a city where spiritual hunger, economic power, and political tension led every aspect of the day-to-day lives of its residents. 

Paul journeyed there multiple times throughout his missionary journeys. Historical records indicate that John the Beloved, Onesimus the slave, and Timothy the protégé, all held the position of church bishop in Ephesus sometime after Paul and Peter were martyred in Rome. Many of Paul's traveling companions have ties to the city as well; Aristarchus and Gaius were arrested there. Priscilla and Aquila, Apollos, and possibly John Mark all ministered in the city.

Riots broke out when Paul's teachings threatened the idol-making industry. Silversmiths, like Demetrius, wage war against anyone who would not bow down and worship Artemis. The Sons of Sceva were religious priests who pretended to have special abilities that led people to believe they had magical powers that cast out demons. When those attempts failed, the city burned many of the religious artifacts and magical scrolls. 

These examples and more led to what became a blended community filled with false teaching. Economic hostility, internal disputes over leadership and doctrine, cultural pressure to participate in civic religion, and acts of unbridled worship all lead toward Ephesus becoming a melting pot of struggle and disaster. Through it all, though, the church became a crossroads in history. 

Burning Books in Ephesus - Fine Art America

History is filled with stories like this that almost seem to be hidden from the world we live in today. There was just too much for me not to be fascinated by it all. When you add in the letter to the Ephesians and the fact that Paul had multiple letters sent out from the city, there was no way I was not going to spend a lot of time in the city with my Biblical Fiction series. One of the questions I was asked at the Mid-Month Madness event that took place on 2/15/25 was what the story behind the story was for my books. 

While I planned to write this month's article from a different perspective, something seemed right about sharing more about the reason I chose to write The Ephesus Pages. Seasons One through Three may focus on the events I have been able to research about the riots that took place in Acts 19 around 55 AD; there is more to the history of Ephesus than the events of that time. 

Eventually, there will be more to tell, but for the moment, I chose to write The Ephesus Pages because the city means more to me than just the words on the digital page I am writing. The city was the foundation of a story I felt needed to be told. I think we all have those stories that have a deeper meaning to us, and I would love to hear about yours. So feel free to take the opportunity to share something about a story that has that kind of meaning for you. 

See you in the pages, 

M.J.E.

~ Biography ~

Matthew James Elliott (M.J. Elliott) is a passionate writer who loves to encourage and inspire others. He served in various ministry roles for over 15 years, which gave him a unique perspective on people and Biblical History. Matthew holds a degree in Biblical Studies from Oklahoma Wesleyan University, with a focus on Pastoral Care, Christian Education, and Worship.

Matthew is married and has three wonderful children who bring him immense joy and inspiration. One of his favorite things to do with them is to share stories they can someday learn from. When writing a story, he aspires to minister to others with love, equip them with encouragement, and use the gift God has given him as a writer to help readers experience God in a real and meaningful way.

Find Matthew on Amazon, Goodreads, Facebook, BookBub, and His Website. He has written Devotionals, An Episodic Series, Novellas, and even Commentaries for The Gospel Daily.

~ Highlighted Release ~

The Ephesus Pages: A Journey Begins: (Part 1; Episodes 1-10) is available now for .99 cents. Grab it while you can.

One Man. His Continued Journey. Working to Build the Early Church. 

Part One: A Journey Begins

John Mark carries the weight of his past on his shoulders, and there is one person he has never reconciled with. In an epic story surrounding the city of Ephesus and the ministry of Paul during his three-year ministry there, life as we know it will change. Join John Mark as he embarks on a new journey seeking reconciliation. As he leaves all that he knows behind on the shores of Cyprus, John Mark will begin a new three-part journey that will test his faith, build him up, and reveal much about his past.

Famous Horses in History – Comanche by Donna Schlachter with Giveaway

Comanche, 1872 (Courtesy Wikipedia)

In our second installment of Famous Horses in History, we are going to take a look at another war horse, Comanche. While his exact date of birth isn’t known, he was bought by the US Army in 1868 in St. Louis, Missouri, and sent to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He was thought to be part mustang and part Morgan, giving him good lineage for living on the plains as well as having stamina and personality. Captain Myles Keough liked the versatile size of the gelding, and purchased him to use as his personal mount, to be ridden only in battle. He usually rode Paddy on marches, while Comanche followed with the other extra horses. Apparently, Keough wanted to keep Comanche fresh for the fighting. 

Captain Myles Keough

 

Comanche was wounded several times prior to Little Big Horn, and each time, the horse continued through the battles and was treated after the fighting ended. One such report was that in 1868, he was wounded in the hindquarters by an arrow, but carried Keough in the fight. He was then named “Comanche” to honor his bravery and toughness. Comanche healed quickly, and Keough was proud of his fearless horse who was never afraid to enter a battle, even though he’d had many injuries.

On June 25, 1876, General George Custer led the 7th Calvary into battle at the Little Big Horn, and Captain Keough rode Commanche into what is now known as Custer’s Last Stand. Every soldier in the battle died, as did most of the horses, and Comanche was one of perhaps 100 Army horses that survived. There is even a report that a yellow bulldog made it through the battle. Most of these mounts were taken by the natives, although their fate is unknown, as the Army horses were more accustomed to a diet of rich grasses, hay, and grain, and tended not to fare well on the native diet of whatever forage they could find.

Severely wounded, Comanche was discovered two days after the end of the fighting, standing beside his owner’s body. He was shipped to Fort Lincoln to recover from his wounds.

Following that, he received the honorary title of Second Commanding Officer and was retired. This time, however, his healing took longer due to the extensive number of wounds. Part of the official order said, “his kind treatment and comfort shall be a matter of special pride and solicitude on the part of every member of the Seventh Calvary to the end of his life…Wounded and scarred as he is, his very existence speaks in terms more eloquent than words, of the desperate struggle against overwhelming numbers…he will never be ridden…nor will he be put to any kind of work.” In accordance with the order, he was never ridden again. He led official parades, with a pair of Calvary riding boots reversed in the stirrups to honor his fallen owner and fellow soldiers.

A reporter from the Bismack Tribune was so inspired by the order that he visited Fort Lincoln to interview the horse, writing that he asked the usual question, and the subject acknowledged with “a toss of his head, a stamp of his foot, and a flourish of his tail.”

However, his official keeper, John Rivers of Company 1, added more details, including that the horse had been found in 1876 following the fatal battle by Sergeant DeLacey, severely wounded. He had serious wounds, including four bullets, three of which were extracted following the battle, and the fourth in April 1877. His keeper didn’t consider him an extraordinary specimen, but acknowledged he was noble looking.

Comanche stayed at Fort Lincoln until June 1879, then the Seventh Regiment moved him to Fort Riley, Kansas in 1887, where he became something of a pet. He enjoyed the run of the post grounds and acquired a taste for beer due to all the toasts made to his bravery in battle.

On November 7, 1891, at the estimated age of 29, Comanche passed away from colic.

Comanche on display at Kansas University (courtesy of The Wayback Machine)

 

A well-known Kansas taxidermist was commissioned to preserve his body, which was exhibited at the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893, before being moved to the Kansas University where he is currently on display. He is one of only four horses to be given a military funeral with full honors.

 

Leave a comment and I will draw randomly for an ebook “Christmas Under the Stars”, which also features horses. Please include your cleverly disguised email address (so the ‘bots don’t get you). For example: donna AT livebytheword DOT com

About Christmas Under the Stars:

November 1858, Utah Territory: Edie Meredith strives to keep her temper and her tongue under control as she heads west with her brother to California. Raised in an itinerant preacher family, she promises she will never marry a man of the cloth. Tom Aiken, drover of the wagon train, longs to answer his true calling: to preach, and while he realizes not every woman would choose a preacher for a husband, he hopes to soon find his help-meet. Suspicious ‘accidents’ plague their journey. Is someone trying to keep them from reaching their destination? Or will misunderstanding and circumstances keep them apart?

About Donna:

A hybrid author, Donna writes squeaky clean historical and contemporary suspense. She has been published more than 60 times in books; is a member of several writers' groups; facilitates a critique group; teaches writing classes; and judges in writing contests. She loves history and research, traveling extensively for both, and is an avid oil painter. She is taking all the information she’s learned along the way about the writing and publishing process, and is coaching committed writers eager to tell their story.

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Resources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comanche_(horse)

University of Kansas Natural History Museum

https://web.archive.org/web/20101028094838/http://custerlives.com/custer4.htm

Literature Appel, David (1951). Comanche: Story of America's Most Heroic Horse. World Publishing Company. ASIN B0007HG0SW.

Movies Tonka (1958), also released as A Horse Named Comanche, a Walt Disney film starring Sal Mineo, based on David Appel's book
Comanche (2000), a film written and directed by Burt Kennedy, starring Kris Kristofferson and Wilford Brimley

Shamrocks, Society Balls, and Political Speeches: St. Patrick’s Day in the Late 19th Century

by Kimberly Keagan

Many Americans can trace their ancestry back to Ireland. In my own family tree, my father’s side includes McClendons and Gillilands who settled in North Carolina during the 1700s. My husband’s lineage includes Murphys who made their home in Canada in the 1800s. Our daughter, with her striking red hair and green eyes, surprised us all but proved that Irish roots can run deep!

With St. Patrick’s Day approaching, I found myself curious about how people in the late 19th century celebrated this beloved Irish holiday. While today’s festivities often center on wearing green and enjoying parades, back then, the holiday carried a deeper cultural and political significance.

 

In both Gilded Age America and Victorian Britain, St. Patrick's Day was not simply about heritage—it was about identity, faith, political influence, and social standing.

 

 

A postcard from the early 1900s. Author's collection.

By the 1890s, Irish immigrants and their descendants had firmly established themselves in American cities such as New York City, Boston, and Chicago. What had begun as immigrant enclaves were becoming political and economic power centers.

For many Irish Americans, St. Patrick’s Day was more than celebration — it was visibility.In New York, the parade organized by the Ancient Order of Hibernians had already become a major annual spectacle. Regimental bands marched. Green banners rippled above crowds. Clergy, fraternal organizations, and military units processed through the streets. Politicians eager to secure Irish-American votes made conspicuous appearances.  

 

Marchers in the St. Patrick's Day parade in New York City in the 1890s. Getty Images.

In working-class neighborhoods, festivities spilled into the streets and parish halls. But among the upper classes — particularly those who had climbed into positions of influence — celebrations often moved indoors. Elite clubs and private homes hosted formal dinners featuring corned beef and cabbage, soda bread, and hearty stews. Some hostesses arranged elaborate green-themed soirées decorated with golden harps and shamrocks. Society columns occasionally noted such gatherings, marking them as fashionable yet culturally meaningful affairs.

Faith remained central. Catholic families attended special Masses honoring St. Patrick’s missionary legacy. Sermons often emphasized perseverance, resilience, and loyalty — virtues closely associated with Irish identity in America. Charity drives on March 17th supported orphanages, hospitals, and relief funds for struggling communities both at home and in Ireland.

St. Patrick's Cathedral, NY, circa 1895. Photo from author's collection.

Across the Atlantic, however, observance took on a different tone.

In Victorian England, St. Patrick’s Day was generally more restrained among the broader British population. Yet in cities with strong Irish communities, such as Liverpool, Manchester, and London, March 17th brought church services, modest gatherings, music, and poetry readings.

One of the most enduring traditions began under Queen Victoria. In 1893, she formalized the custom of presenting shamrocks to Irish soldiers, a gesture of recognition and respect. That tradition continues today with the Irish Guards, who still receive shamrocks each March 17th.

Among the Irish aristocracy living in England, celebrations tended to be refined and private with dinner parties, musical evenings, and literary tributes to Ireland’s saints and poets.

But beneath the elegance lay political tension.

The Irish Home Rule movement was gaining strength in the 1890s. Public meetings and speeches advocating self-governance were often strategically scheduled on St. Patrick’s Day, giving the holiday added symbolic weight. Newspapers frequently reported on rallies and demonstrations, highlighting the intersection of cultural celebration and political aspiration.

Photo retrieved from www.ppt-online.com

Whether in the grand avenues of New York, the drawing rooms of London, or the pulpit of a parish church, St. Patrick’s Day in the late 19th century offered something powerful: a public affirmation that Irish identity endured.

Kimberly Keagan is a former corporate financial writer (not very romantic) who now crafts Gilded Age historical romances filled with strong heroines, swoon-worthy heroes, faith, and a touch of humor. Her debut novel, Perfect, released in May 2025, and Risky Business, the third book in her Hearts on Display series released on February 18, 2026. Go to KimberlyKeagan.com and download her free Christmas novelette!

  

 

Home to Mingulay by Cindy Regnier

Imagine for a moment what it would be like to live on a small but beautiful island near Scotland with your only access to anywhere supplied by boats, and then only if conditions were right. That describes the island of Mingulay, a place no one lives nowadays, but scientists go there to study birds, and other wildlife. So what happened to Mingulay and why did its inhabitants leave? Let’s find out.

  From the 15th through 19th centuries Mingulay was considered as part of the lands of Clan MacNeil of Barra. The population of Mingulay were hardy people, surviving by fishing, raising crops and livestock, and catching seabirds on the cliffs. Most of the people were subjects of the Clan MacNeil, but apparently the MacNeils were mostly absent from the island and the people survived in the only ways they knew how.

The evidence remaining of the living conditions on Mingulay suggests that the life of these island people was subject to many hardships. Prolonged periods of bad weather along with the inability to leave or reach the mainland for assistance increased the dangers of illness or medical emergencies. The population reached a peak of 150 in 1881 but fell away rapidly until the last resident left in 1912. 

 Unable to sustain themselves any longer and with no help from the Scottish lords, the final remaining inhabitants sailed for neighboring Vatersay in 1912, leaving behind their village homes. Many of those foundations still stand, reminding us of a way of life now lost to relentless Atlantic elements and absentee landlords.

One interesting story that remains is the story of McPhee’s Hill. As the story goes, When Mingulay was still part of the McNeils land, a rent collector was hired by the name of McPhee. Mr. McPhee was sent to the island to collect the rents from those inhabiting the land, but when he landed there, he discovered everyone in the house he went to was dead. Perhaps there had been an epidemic of some sort. Alarmed, McPhee called to the boat crew that had dropped him off to come back and get him. Fearful of the plague, the crew rowed off and left McPhee to his fate. Mr. McPhee was left on the island for a year while no ship dared to stop there. When he was finally rescued, the McNeils paid him by granting him land on the island. He was not interested, to say the least. That area of the island is still known as McPhee’s Hill. 

 

Mingulay is now owned by the National Trust of Scotland. In certain weather conditions the island can be accessed through boat tours or charters from neighboring islands. Ruins of houses and other buildings remain to attest to the fishing and farming community of previous centuries. The former school building has been renovated by the Trust as a base for the archaeological and biological studies that continue in this harsh environment, but for the most part very little of the Mingulay way of life under their Scottish lord remains.

 

 

Scribbling in notebooks has been a habit of Cindy Regnier since she was old enough to hold a pencil. Born and raised in Kansas, she writes stories of historical Kansas, especially the Flint Hills area where she spent much of her childhood.