Hoptree, Stinking Ash, Wafer Ash (Ptelea trifoliata)

Hoptree, Stinking Ash, Wafer Ash
Ptelea trifoliata

This new spring growth eventually turns dark green and becomes glossy by summer. Shown in April. (San Antonio, Tx.)

We had one of these in our back yard when I was young, and we called it our "money tree" because of the nickel-sized round seedpods it produced. Mom would not let us have a TV so we used our imaginations a lot...
There was a little insect that looked like a chicken (to us) on the tree every year, too.
Thanks for rousing some fond memories, Hazel.

You jogged my memory about living in the country and not having a TV as a kid. I have 6 brothers. We are about 4 years apart in age. Plants played a part in keeping us busy. I remember chinaberry "wars" with my neighbors who had large families too. It took a long time to gather enough berries for the "wars". I used to pretend to cook mesquite tree seedpods in large pans and at the time I did not know that they are edible. We would gather plant leaves, put them in photo albums wrapped in Saran Wrap and spent days trying to ID them. My oldest brother built a huge horny toad "castle" out of brick in an area that had no plants. It had many tunnels in it which the lizards loved. I would gather branches of trees and shrubs to stick in the ground to make it look like it was an oasis. I had to replace them as they wilted. We gathered palm tree leaves and covered the treehouse with them. I used to love to lay in the grass and watch the sunlight light up the dewdrops on the plants in the mornings. Pulling weeds took up at least one day a week. Ahhh ... fond memories revived too. Thanks for your comments.

I worry about kids that don't get to go outside like we did. I know some who are afraid of bugs! For me, being outside is central to my happiness. (Although I could use fewer bugs myself).

When I taught school, I took my class out frequently to observe and study the plants and insects. My classes planted crepe myrtle trees and shrubs on our campus each year. Having a minor in Biology, I was heavy into the science instruction ... all areas, not just plants and animals. The students completed experiments at least 3 times a week and actually wrote scientific research reports. One student came to see me when he was in the 8th grade and told me that he had learned more about science in my 3rd grade class than he had in Middle School. That statement has brightened many of my days. Hopefully at least some of my other exstudents have continued their interest in Science.

That is a wonderful story. Many teachers get a great deal of gratification from students that say things like that. Almost makes up for the low salaries...ha.

The rewards for outway the money. I really miss teaching. It was not like work at all when I was working with the students. All of the politics and paperwork, I do not miss. Every weekend was spent writing lesson plans, grading papers, creating bulletinboards which actually went with what I was teaching each week, etc. Each night was spent adjusting lesson plans, preparing stuff for the next day, grading papers and completing special projects that I was always assigned to do. I always tried to make each lesson count and teaching elementary school, I had a lot of subjects for which to prepare. I actually made up my own curriculum. I integrated all of the subjects together so that learning was a continuum and made sense, plus the students had a lot of repetition. I used to stay on campus until 11 or 12 PM many times and I spent $3,000 or more a year out of my own pocket. My husband used to be quite upset with me. I can start teaching again and receive my retirement pay and draw a regular salary because I am qualified to teach in 3 critical areas that the state is having difficulty locating teachers to fill the positions. I thought very long and hard about it ... 3 minutes and said, "Nope."