There is a beautiful old oak tree that graces the front yard of the white wood frame childhood home of my father-in-law, Henry Allen Pedigo and his younger sister, Dorothy Pedigo Mills tucked away in the Piney Woods of East Texas.  It truly is a beautiful tree with its branches reaching out in all directions.  I first began going there to visit when I was a teenager, quite some years ago and this tree has always been a part of the landscape to me and all of us who are a part of this wonderful place we call Pedigo Hill.

This majestic tree has stood the tests of time, and if it could talk, what stories it could tell.  It has provided shade while countless children have played in its shadows, and has offered hiding places among its sprawling roots for Easter egg hunts. This tree has stood as a beautiful backdrop for family pictures and later “watched” as family and friends sat nearby on the front porch as the sun set and evening came.  This beautiful tree, sitting near the road, has greeted many a visitor, with its mighty “arms” reaching out to welcome each one. And this mighty oak has seemed to look on as family walked down the partially paved road heading to the family cemetery. Not to mention, it has survived hurricanes, blizzards and droughts along the way. There have got to be many precious memories in each ring of life in this tree, and how I wish we could sit around it and listen to each story, over and over again.

I mentioned that my father-in-law grew up in this home.  Well, just this past weekend in visiting with him and looking at a precious picture of him with his granddaughters, my daughter and my niece, in front of this tree, a story was told that, for some reason, I never knew. 

Many years ago, about 75 or so, a different tree stood in that spot but had to be cut down.  Afterward the stump was burned out, leaving its ashes behind.  Being a young, inquisitive boy, young Henry Allen found several acorns while playing one day and decided to bury them in the ashes left behind from this tree stump.  Little did he know that day that he was planting what would one day become this beautiful, majestic oak tree…a tree that still stands proudly in front of this precious homestead.

I am so glad that this picture on our recent visit triggered this memory, resulting in my hearing this story, as told by Henry Allen Pedigo aka PeePaw, himself.  Others may be very much aware of how this mighty oak came to be…acorns buried among the ashes by this special young boy…but I had never heard this story, a story that makes this majestic tree just that much more special to me.

Debbie Pedigo

March 23, 2014