Now I know the theme is trees but the rules clearly state there is only one rule and that is your photograph must be square in shape!

Becky B

In this month’s square’s challenge I will start at home, which is Prescott, AZ and spiral farther and farther from home to share different tree from my travels. Since FOTD accepts trees, all of these posts will work for both Becky B’s #TreeSquares and Cee’s Flower of the Day Challenge . This post also meets the requirements of LAPC #157 Getting Away hosted by Rusha at Oh The Places We See.

If San Antonio Trees Could Talk…

They could share a lot more history than I could.

Leaving the comforts of home, whether Prescott, AZ, Woodlake, CA, or Portland, OR, spiraling out of my zone would be San Antonio, TX. The Center for Civic Education took its Project Citizen trainers there to imbibe history. We strolled inside the Alamo or Mission San Antonia de Valero, founded in 1718. This first mission in San Antonio served as a way station between east Texas and Mexico. Just over 120 years later, the Alamo played a part in the Texas Revolution.

Much to some people’s surprise, I missed both of those events.

It was a warm October evening when the group of us Californians arrived at the Alamo. I was glad all the fighting was in the past.

Under the shade of the trees we admired the ancient adobe walls and took pictures so we could remember all we were learning. I remember marveling that within such a tiny geographic area you could have buildings from the distant past co-mingled with modern and recent past. .

The beauty of the old walls, the blue skies, and the trees with the sun beating its way through the leaves appealed to me artistically.

There was a timeline along one wall. I love timelines.

Outside of the Alamo were more trees and more recent history. This Gothic Revival church built from 1868 to 1871 refused to budge when the city wanted to add shopping areas. The River Walk Shops built up around it, if I have my geography correct.

Even though I couldn’t make this photo square without destroying it I wanted to share it. This lovely building, partially eclipsed by the trees and the Alamo, was built in 1924 as a Medical Arts building. In 1984 it became a hotel. According to the folklore, it was named after a black indentured servant “who distracted General Santa Anna and led to the Mexicans’ loss at the Battle of San Jacinto.” Wikimedia

Finally, even though these River Walk trees look like an impressionist painting instead of a sharp photograph, I wanted to close with it. There’s nothing as lovely as strolling down a river surrounded by the lull of strangers sharing the experience together. It blurs the lines between us all and allows us to experience beauty together.