Life in Christian County, Kentucky... Life in The Upper South... More About Trees and Plants...
The Bradford pears around the high school sports fields in Hopkinsville are gorgeous in their fall color right now. This tree species is widely planted through the Upper South, due to its quick growth, attractive shape, long season in full leaf, and beautiful blossoms and color.
Unfortunately, the Bradford pear has a very short lifespan. Because its branches are spindly and weak with a dense distribution, they break easily in any weather event. (This is a weakness of most pears.) These trees are probably a decade or less in age, but they're at their prime. They'll be breaking up soon.
The football stadium was built about 1992, I think. This photo shows just the home side. There's a similar, but smaller, set of seats on the visitor's side.
Like many towns across the south, Hopkinsville greatly enjoys its high school football teams. When I first saw this stadium when we moved here, I thought its size was excessive. It looked big enough to be a college stadium. However, I have seen it filled to capacity during the annual match between Christian County's two high schools.
The stadium is used by both high schools. One high school plays at home each weekend, while the other high school goes on the road.
I'm still a little in awe that this is a high school stadium. In the county in northern Nebraska where I grew up, there was a set of wooden bleachers just big enough for our small high school band. The spectators sat on bales of hay or stood around the edge of the field. Actually, it was usually cold enough that moving up and down the field with the teams helped to prevent frostbite.
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4 comments:
I keep waiting for medical science to catch up and "discover" a Post-Cheerleader-Frostbit-Thigh syndrom. (PCFT)
There's also the Cheerleader-Lost-Contact Lens-On Sidelines at the Weeping Water JV Game disease...
The cure for both is an Arby's with lots of Horsey Sauce.
Oh, your photos so make me miss my Bradford pear tree. This is my first fall without it -- I've lived here 10 years and that tree was probably the thing that sealed the deal when I bought the house. Sigh.
Collagemama, both of those conditions sound really miserable. Not at all glamorous!
Trixie, I don't blame you for grieving about your tree. I think Bradford pears are really beautiful. I wish they were more hardy.
I love it when the leaves turn red. Unfortunately fall seemed to be shorter than usual this year.
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