A wonderful hidden place in Lousiville right in the suburbs is Beargrass Creek State Nature Preserve. I came across this area one day while surfing the web and couldn't wait to visit. Now that I am down here for at least a month I thought --- why not. So I had Kati and Bob drop me off this afternoon and off I went.
Back in Utica this is a rare find. Years ago I learned of the tree while at Eliza Cole Smith girl scout camp in North Utica. We called it a mitten tree because the leaves looked like --- mittens, some with thumbs and fingers -- but its real name is Sassafras Tree and has a lot of practical uses.
Maple trees yes, but they just don't look as lovely as they do in New York. Mostly muted oranges and yellows.
Growing up we always called these trees widow trees because if you hid inside during a violent storm and the wind caused it to topple you would be no longer. However, the term really refers to big broken hanging branches. This tree was amazingly huge.