Cherokee Rose in a Wall Pocket

This past week a white flowering vine has been gracing the entrance to our driveway. I learned today the flower is a Cherokee Rose. While I've been driving around the countryside here in Georgia the Cherokee rose is now filling many a field and ditch with it's blossoms. I used an oblong headed nail to hang the wall pocket on a post on our front covered deck. I left the exterior of the wall pocket unglazed glazing only the interior with a medium dark green glaze. I suppose I could have rubbed red iron oxide on the exterior, maybe next time. It's really fairly messy to use, often staining more than I intend.

Cherokee Rose flowers are diminutive, scarcely 3/4 of an inch in diameter, a single one would barely be noticeable from a distance but grouped together they're quite a sight. Upon approach one is immediately struck by the lemony citrus fragrance wafting from many sprays of tiny white flowers covering the vine. In winter the vine is covered with bright red rose hips probably a delight to birds and other critters. Perhaps I'll make some rose hip jelly or rose hip soup some day. Rose hips are an excellent source of Vitamin C.

Cherokee Rose naturalized and growing at the entrance to our driveway. Apparently the Cherokee rose is not native here and has become invasive but that didn't stop me from enjoying the fragrance as I carried the blossoms up the driveway. The Cherokee rose is associated with the Trail of Tears, the forced relocation of Native Americans from the Southeast. Some of my relatives, including my great grandmother, were forced from their home here in Georgia.

The white petals symbolize a woman's tears of grief and hardship shed during their exodus, the gold center represents the gold taken from the Cherokee tribe, and the seven leaflets represent the seven Cherokee tribes. I think I'll make a piece of pottery with the Cherokee Rose vine. If you have time please read the poem, The Neverending Trail, by Abe "Del" Jones. (photo above borrowed from Wikipedia).

A ceramic wall pocket doesn't come into it's own until graced with fresh or dried flowers loved by the one placing them there. The pink dogwood flower turned white after firing due to the clear glaze I used but I am glad it did. I'm thinking I might design a way to have a nail at the bottom of the pocket so it can't sway in the breeze; maybe a wire across the bottom. What do you think? We can get quite a bit of wind up here. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

Indian Trail Trees

Since my arrival in Georgia I've been learning more about my Native American ancestry and the history of this area. My great grandmother, a Cherokee, traveled on the Trail of Tears. My grandmother told me her mother traveled from Georgia to settle near Arkadelphia in what is now the state of Arkansas. One of the books I checked out of the library the other day is Indian Trail Trees by Elaine Jordan. I'd never heard of trail trees and the book looked intriguing. I wondered if Native Americans intentionally shaped trees to mark trails? After reading the book and doing some research I learned hardwood trees were shaped to mark routes traveled over North America for centuries.

I remembered a home we'd seen for sale; we didn't buy the house but I recalled a huge trail tree in the front yard. I went back to take a photograph of the tree which is shown in the first photograph. This massive trail tree is growing in the front yard of the home and the direction points towards the town of Cleveland Georgia. At the hip of the tree another branch has formed subsequent to the original training of this tree's central leader. The girth of the second central leader is much smaller in diameter.

Here's a diagram excerpted from the book showing one of the methods used by the Native Americans to shape a hardwood tree to form a trail tree. Trail trees were used as directional markers showing routes to resources, camp sites, and river crossings for travelers. Some trees were hollowed out at the nose so messages could be left in the trees. Sometrees were intentionally fashioned taller to show the way for travelers on horseback.

Here's another photo of the trail tree showing a distant view. I wish I had taken another photograph with me in the photo to better show the scale of the tree. Perhaps another time I'll take a trip back to see the tree. Meanwhile I'm busy reading both fictional and non fictional historical novels about Native Americans. The appraisal of our new home is completed and now all that's left is the final paperwork, more about our move in date coming soon.

Stay tuned for news about a clay workshop in North Carolina I'll be taking in the middle of January. Also coming up I'll take you on a tour of a local potter's studio here in Cleveland, Georgia. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.