[Clifford_Parker]

Hi Marci and welcome to the group.

Tree id sites I use are;
http://www.fw.vt.edu/dendro/dendrolo...tor/doctor.cfm
http://www.extension.iastate.edu/pages/tree/
http://www.oplin.org/tree/
http://fwf.ag.utk.edu/dendro/home.htm

[AlArchie]

If that tree was large with realy rough, medium gray-brown to black deeply furrowed bark, and had rather smallish maple looking leaf clusters, it was most likely a box elder. The leaves are actually pinately arrayed, but look sort of like maple in the cluster. The new shoots are usually really green and grow rapidly with a smooth light brown bark. They make excellent "stick whistles" as the bark is easily loosened by tapping it lightly, then just sliding it off the twig.. Box elders grow pretty large but are not a long lived tree and are easily broken off or downed by storm winds and heavy snow. The wood is a lot softer than the maples and is another one similar to basswood......creamy with with some red or even green colored streaks.

Here's a couple sketches of the leaves of box elder and maple. The seed clusters on box elders are also a lot more dense than maples. Other than the leaves and bark, it is quite similar to the maples.....you can even tap them for sap in the spring.

Darn things grow like weeds around here, but are really nice shade trees when they are fully grown.

Al

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

You ever carve boxelder?

[AlArchie]

Not recently, but as a youngster it was readilly available....made some neckerchief slides for Scouts from it.....carved very nicely. Still make twig whistles just for nostalgic resaons, though. gotta get the shoots early in the spring, when the bark slips easily!

Al

[Marci MN]

Thank you for those sites! I spent some time in there, and even went out back to pick up some of the leaves that have fallen to see if I could match them up to the sites pictures.

I do think its a boxelder. The sticks are really white in color, and they've been drying for a few months now. I'm anxious to play with this wood and see what comes of it.

Thanks much!

PS. I have also found I have four different pines, red oak, white oak, ash, cottonwood and birch here in the woods. We do have willow around the area..but I havent figured out if they are with Diamonds or not.

[Callynne]

Hi Marci, of course we have room! Welcome!! It's great to have you join us! Deborah

[whittlewomen]

Hi,
Welcome to the group. I am busy finishing some carvings for a gallery here in town, so I haven't been too active, but will be. I know from the past that any questions will be answered....not always correctly (HA HA) but answered none the less!!!
Sharon

[Fishgap]

Well looks like you have lots of help here so I just wanted to say Welcome.

Alfie

[Marci MN]

Thank you for the welcomes! I've been really enjoying myself looking around and reading up on topics. I'm trying to gather up the courage to ask some questions.. *wry grin*

[cut up]

Ask away Marci. Noone bites, and theres no such thing as a dumb question (just unasked ones). If you don't like the answer you get, let us know and someone will make up another one.