Although I have done a great deal of North Carolina; I never saw the Grand Dame pictured above. I did try to paint her once with sunlight streaming through
the mossy branches as thick as myself. It was impossible to capture the timeless feeling of this behemoth. Just seeing her now makes me want to try again.
Angel Oak is a Southern Live Oak approximately 400-500 years old. It is 66.5 feet tall and measures 28 feet in circumference. Its longest branch is 187 feet long and it throws shade 17,200 square feet.
The Angel Oak gets its name from Estate Owners Justus and Martha Angel. Folklore tells that the ghost of slaves appear beneath its spreading branches from time to time.
Ferns, vines and mosses grow on its broad frame.
Tour
https://youtu.be/jNTxqUKm9lA
In 1913 The Nature Conservancy
bought 17 acres around her
to preserve this land
and protect her from the
encroaching urban sprawl.
Now I have seen her
And so have you.
I have the feeling I may need to try
to capture her
on canvas
one more time.
More Anon.