Blog draft may 8 26

Trip and Trees

Bulbous green. Bouncing branches fully leafed out. Shades of green too numerous to name. woods and more woods everywhere.

This does not describe Illinois well, but Missouri it does. Missouri if a major state of trees, especially along old Route 66.

We took Interstate 55 in Illinois to I-44 in St. Louis, to I-40 in Oklahoma City. From there the trip was I-40 to Albuquerque and then I-25 to Santa Fe. I-55, I-44 and I-40 all cover the old Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica, California. It is an historic route celebrating its 100th birthday this year.

Well, that’s the route we took, but trees were beautiful and plentiful in Missouri and Oklahoma. Texas and New Mexico has a landscape that does not favor deciduous trees. New Mexico will support leafed trees depending on altitude, soil and moisture present. Most of the green in the state comes from round, bushing pinion pines. Those dot the rocky landscape by the millions. Very pleasant and pretty. Just not green leaves. Needles. Lots of needles. And yet few forests.

Leaving Chicago in late April, trees were just beginning to bud and sprout the early spring green of tiny leaves. From Missouri on, however, we encountered nearly seasonal ripe leafing. It was refreshing and springlike. Beautiful, too.

As we returned to Illinois, we noticed right away that Illinois trees were weeks behind the other states we visited. By the time we reached Chicago, early spring green was visible. Full leafing will arrive in days. So we will have experienced spring twice this year!

I cou, nt that as a good thing. A very good thing!

May 8, 2026

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