The 1200 year old sister

Remember when you were a little kid everything was so much larger than you were? I recall as a child looking at the base of an old live oak. My eyes wandered up to the very top of the tree and I thought to myself, "How did it get to be so large? I am so small!" Trees seemed so mysterious. It was a tradition when I was growing up to plant a tree for each new member of the family. I was taught to water and take care of my very own tree. So when I happened upon the Louisiana Live Oak Society and its website, it was a pleasant surprise and I was shocked at the number of trees registered in Louisiana.

The Live Oak Society, according to its website, was founded in 1934 by Dr. Edwin Lewis Stephens. He was also the first President of what is now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. "Only one human is permitted in the Live Oak Society, according to the by-laws of the Society.That person is the chairman, and she is responsible for registering and recording the Live Oak Society membersThe Live Oak Society is under the auspices of the Louisiana Garden Club Federation, Inc. " You should surf on over to their website and read about the 1200 year old , "Seven Sisters Oak" in Mandeville, Louisiana of St. Tammany Parish and search the registry for the Live Oak registered in your parish.

I wonder how many Live Oaks are registered in cemeteries in Louisiana? Well, according to the database there are quite a few in Louisiana that are in or near cemeteries.

• THE MONSIGNOR JEAN EYRAUD OAK - # 3054 - Reserve, Louisiana was blessed by New Orleans Auxiliary Bishop Roger Morin. With Bishop Morin is Coleen Perilloux Landry, Chairman of LOS. The Tree is named for a French born priest who served as pastor at St. Peter's Church for half a century. The Archdiocese of New Orleans is seeking to have Msgr. Eyraud beatified for sainthood. The tree lives in a corner of St. Peter's Cemetery.
• PROTESTANT CEMETERY Lafayette, LA
• CAMPBELL Lafayette, LA
• NAUL OAK , E. Feleciana Cemetery
• DENDINGER OAK Madisonville, LA Dendinger Memorial Cemetery (There are two registered)
• more