What is that???
It looks like a green bean tree!!!
Weston had been driving. We were approaching Indianapolis and I told him to get off at the next exit so we could switch. I don’t let him drive through cities. He got off the interstate and I told him to turn into this parking lot but he missed it and turned down some little road and just keep going and going because there was no place to turn around. And there we were driving down some strange road in Indiana going nowhere. He finally turned around in someone’s yard and I got him to stop and let me take over only there was this interesting tree. So I had to take a picture. What is that??? I’m not from around here.
And if you live in Indiana and someone turned around in your yard yesterday, I apologize.
Speaking of Indiana, there is A LOT OF CORN HERE!
P.S. We were between Cincinnati and Indianapolis yesterday when my cell phone rang. It was Ross. He passed his battle stations! HE IS A SAILOR!!! This morning, we are around Lafayette, Indiana, about 120 miles south of Chicago. (It’s about another 35 miles north of Chicago to our final destination, Great Lakes.) So we have an easy drive today after 9 hours yesterday to get this far. As soon as we get to Great Lakes, we will check in to the hotel then go find the base. And, you know, just press our noses against the glass because we can’t go in and we can’t see Ross till Friday morning after graduation.
Angelia M says:
Yippee!!!!!!! No idea what the tree is – seems like I have seen someething like that at one time or another.
CONGRATS to Ross!!!! Glad you guys will have a short day tomorrow. Brings tears to my eyes when I read your posts. Have fun!
On August 12, 2010 at 1:14 am
nancy in iowa says:
Suzanne, I have a huge smile on my face, and it isn’t because of the bean tree! I’m so happy for Ross and all of you! :happyfeet: :happyfeet: 😀
Nancy
On August 12, 2010 at 1:37 am
Melinda says:
wonder if its a catapa tree (misspelled)
On August 12, 2010 at 1:51 am
bonita says:
HURRAY!!~!!!, Hellooo Sailor!!!
My guess is catalpa tree: Large, showy white, trumpet-shaped flowers grace the Catalpa in late spring. Its narrow crown is oval-shaped or uneven, upright with distinctively large, heart-shaped, bright green leaves and long, bean-like pods. Withstands wet, dry, alkaline soils and hot, dry environments, but prefers moist, deep soil. Sun or partial shade. Grows to 40′-60′ with a 20′-40′ spread. (Zones 4-8)
On August 12, 2010 at 1:58 am
Sonia says:
Not sure since I cannot get a good look at the leaves, and the seed pods seem bigger….but, I am thinking it might be a redbud tree.
On August 12, 2010 at 2:14 am
Deborah R says:
Congratulations to our great nation’s newest seaman! And congratulations to our great nation’s newest Navy Mom! I hope your family has a rockin’ great time at graduation!
On August 12, 2010 at 2:46 am
jan~n~tn says:
Congratulations to you and the new sailor.
Not being able to really see the leaves in the tree pic…
“Robinia pseudoacacia,pod” or commonly “black locust pod” would be a guess.
On August 12, 2010 at 3:20 am
judydee says:
Not sure the leaves are big enough to be catalpa. Locust was also my first guess. But more importantly—Yipeeeee!!!! So glad you were able to let us know about Ross’s successful completion of his battle stations. Now go and enjoy your family. Please tell Ross WE ALL are so proud!
On August 12, 2010 at 6:08 am
Snapper119 says:
HORRAY! Congratulations to Ross!!! :woof:
On August 12, 2010 at 6:15 am
Silvia says:
Corn and soybeans! The corn is mostly seed corn. Be sure to stop at a farm stand and get some sweet corn – tis the season. Congratulations Ross!! :sun:
On August 12, 2010 at 6:16 am
Diane says:
Congrats to Ross!!!!! How wonderful. I had happy tears in my eyes when I saw that. But I had no doupt he would pass. 🙂 Enjoy your trip. Yes there is a lot of corn out that way. I have been though Indiana and in Ill where my friend lives and I always tell her about the amount of corn they have. lol. Even though I live in PA and drive though corn fields daily. Theirs seems much larger. I think they are.
On August 12, 2010 at 6:39 am
leavesofthefall says:
You’re most likely looking at a Red Bud tree. It has heart shaped leaves and has seed pods. It’s a scraggly looking tree, but produces the most wonderful blossoms in the spring. You’re in my neck of the woods, I’m about one hour East of Lafayette. Enjoy your trip… and yes, there’s tons of corn in Indiana!! When it grows next to the house, on the west side, it blocks all breezes. We love the alternating soybean years! lol
On August 12, 2010 at 6:43 am
Stephanie D says:
Isn’t it a mimosa tree? They have lovely feathery ticklish blossoms that are very messy but smell so sweet, and then flat, beanish seed pods afterwards, which are almost, but not quite as messy.
And congratulations to Ross!
On August 12, 2010 at 6:46 am
Johanna says:
Congratulations to Ross! Can’t wait to see photos from the graduation ceremony!
Hope your hotel has a pool because it is H-O-T!!!
On August 12, 2010 at 6:46 am
Barbee' says:
Hi Suzanne, I think your mystery tree is the common redbud tree. Mine have those flat bean-like pods; they look similar to snow pea pods. I have read that when the pods are young they can be strung and cooked and eaten like we string and cook string-beans. I’ve never tried it. Catalpa seed pods are longer and round, like giant green beans.
On August 12, 2010 at 6:47 am
Becky says:
Congratulations to Ross!
I’m thinking that is a redbud tree from what I can see in the picture.
I have two of them in my yard.
On August 12, 2010 at 7:01 am
CindyP says:
Oh, if only green beans were that easy to pick….standing up with all them just hanging for the picking! LOL!
YAY ROSS!!! :snoopy: We are all so proud of you, brings tears to MY eyes!
Have fun being stalkers, err I mean tourists, today, Suzanne, Weston and Morgan!
On August 12, 2010 at 7:12 am
Elizared says:
Redbud tree….look around Roane County, there are plenty of these in WV.
On August 12, 2010 at 7:14 am
Yankee Gal says:
Congrats on Ross officially becoming a sailor! How wonderful for him after so much hard work. Also, I think #15 Barbee’ has nailed it regarding the mystery tree. Hubs is from PA where they grow in front yards or beautifully wild on roadsides. We keep trying, but find it’s too hard to keep one growing up here in NH – too cold – Wishing you a safe trip as you continue on your journey.
On August 12, 2010 at 7:20 am
Sandra in SC says:
Congrats to Ross!!!!
On August 12, 2010 at 7:21 am
Deanna says:
It is a Redbud tree. They bloom in the early Spring with lavender colored flowers, and then the seed pods come on during the summer. Very pretty trees, I have several in my yard. :sun:
On August 12, 2010 at 7:29 am
Donna Mc says:
First of all – WAHOOOOOO for Ross. That’s just awesome!!
2nd – We think it’s a redbud tree. Need a better look at the leaves, but we’re pretty sure it’s a redbud.
Have a wonderful trip!
On August 12, 2010 at 7:37 am
Glenie says:
Have fun and enjoy the day exploring while waiting for that special moment of seeing Ross.
On August 12, 2010 at 7:48 am
Heidi says:
I’m not sure about the tree, but I’m about 99% positive it’s NOT a catalpa tree. Catalpa trees have much longer and thinner seed pods and their leaves are GIANT. So giant they almost have a prehistoric look to them.
More important than the tree though is CONGRATULATIONS ROSS!!!
On August 12, 2010 at 8:17 am
CATRAY44 says:
Congratulations to Ross (and you , Suzanne!) What an accomplishment!
On August 12, 2010 at 8:21 am
Billy says:
Anchors Aweigh, my boys, Anchors Aweigh.
https://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/anchors.htm
On August 12, 2010 at 8:28 am
Myrna Mackenzie says:
Welcome to Chicago, Suzanne! And congratulations to Ross! I know post-graduation he may well just want to lie low and relax and enjoy being with his family, but if you’re looking for activity, the Chicago Air and Water Show is Saturday (and Sunday) and the Navy’s Blue Angels and their parachute team, The Leap Frogs, will be 2 of the headliners. Should be fun (but crowded). Sorry for all this unusually hot weather. Have a wonderful time!
On August 12, 2010 at 8:39 am
joycee says:
If it is a green bean tree, it’s gonna need a lot of bacon to make up for the skinny beans!
On August 12, 2010 at 8:51 am
IowaCowgirl says:
Hooray!! Way to go!!!
On August 12, 2010 at 8:56 am
She-wee says:
Congratulations to Ross upon his graduation and the start of his Navy Career!
That pod looks familiar to me but I am not certain. I see pods similar on my wisteria but they get plumper and have a velvety covering on them.
Enjoy your travels and be safe!
On August 12, 2010 at 8:57 am
Sue Nugent says:
:snuggle: My guess is a Redbud tree.They have heart shaped leaves. They are one of the first trees to bloom in the Spring.They drop seeds and spread from the roots,so we have them everywhere here in my area.Congratulations to Ross from Ky.I know you are proud of him.Have a safe trip.
On August 12, 2010 at 9:02 am
Rhonda says:
Ah, the road less traveled, go Weston. Surprises always. And congrats to Ross! He’s now considered to be in one of the top ten sexiest professions…some weird poll on the news this morning.
On August 12, 2010 at 9:02 am
Pete says:
Yeah, hurray!! :woof:
Looks like a catawba/catalpa/variations on the spelling, pronuciation, and exact look of the tree/bush depending on where you are around the country. The one behind our house has huge leaves and very curly beans, but ones further west of here seem to have the same shaped leaf, but smaller, with straighter beans.
Great conversation starter, though, whatever it is!
On August 12, 2010 at 9:06 am
KentuckyFarmGirl says:
Redbud pods! You can cook them and eat them like peas!
CONGRATULATIONS ROSS!!!! I knew he would do fine. He takes after his mother and there’s nothing she can’t do!
On August 12, 2010 at 9:13 am
Blessings says:
“There is more than corn in Indiana” a slogan for Indiana ~~LOL~~`Just Sayin
On August 12, 2010 at 9:14 am
evelee says:
Congratulations , you are know the proud mom of a squid! Yeah to Ross, he did it, of course we knew he would, look at who raised him! Marines are known as Jarheads, Army are known as grunts and Air Force are fly boys/fly girls and Navy is known as Squids, so CONGRATULATIONS to Mom and son.
On August 12, 2010 at 9:42 am
Sandy says:
My vote is redbud.
On August 12, 2010 at 9:54 am
Melissa Marsh says:
Woo hoo! Congrats to Ross! He’s a sailor now!!! :snoopy:
On August 12, 2010 at 10:20 am
Miss Becky says:
oh it sounds like you three are having a blast. Congratulations to Ross, and have a great time at the ceremony and in Chi-town; it’s a great place to visit! :yes:
On August 12, 2010 at 10:21 am
MMHONEY says:
IT’S A REDBUD . , THEY ARE LOTS OF THEM IN ROANE CO. THEY ARE AMONG THE FIRST THAT BLOOM. TAKE CARE; BE SAFE; AND HAVE GOOD TIME
On August 12, 2010 at 10:25 am
Cindy says:
Looks like a Catalpa tree to me, but I’m no expert!
On August 12, 2010 at 10:33 am
Rys says:
Congratlations to Ross!!!
I think it’s a redbud.
On August 12, 2010 at 10:43 am
joy says:
There IS more than corn…and soy beans… In Indiana! You drove right past me! And Fair Oaks Dairy Farms where my husband works! If you have time and the inclination, on the return trip, stop for lunch! they make some really good panini grilled cheese sandwiches , ruebens, or quesadillas!! Along with selling some fabulous cheeses…really really good. Oh yeah, they also do farm tours, which Still fascinates me!! It’s an amazing operation they have going on there! Have a safe trip and congrats to Ross!!!
On August 12, 2010 at 10:51 am
Joy says:
Hey, welcome to the Navy, Ross! I second taking a look at the Air and Water Show. Its one of the big events in Chicago. Navy Pier is sure to be packed and a lot of new sailors and their families show up. We always smile at their fresh young faces and the proud families hovering around them. Lots of fun stuff at Navy Pier, restaurants, food court, IMax theatre, beautiful views of the water and the tall ships in town for the Air and Water Show. You can find out about it at https://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/event_landing/special_events/mose/chicago_air___water.html.
On August 12, 2010 at 11:03 am
Cheryl says:
It’s a redbud tree 🙂
On August 12, 2010 at 11:22 am
Cheryl says:
Congrats Ross!!! :shimmy:
On August 12, 2010 at 11:23 am
Sara says:
Congrats to Ross!!!! And yeah, that’s a redbud. I recognize the leaves. A locust tree has much smaller, narrower leaves.
On August 12, 2010 at 11:44 am
Marianne G says:
Congratulations Ross! I knew you would do it!
You came through Cincinnati and didn’t stop by? Heck, you could have stayed the night here!
Just a couple suggestions:
1) If you want good seats for graduation, be there when they open the gates to the base. Cars are lined up waiting to get in and there is an inspection process of all cars entering, takes a little time, so the earlier the better. Once inside, you can pass the time buying souvenirs or just chatting with the other parents.
2) Shedd Aquarium is a nice stop in Chicago; the show is wonderful and you get a great view of the lake.
On August 12, 2010 at 11:47 am
Karen Templeton says:
Voting for redbud, here, too. Mimosa leaves are more like fronds.
And congrats to Ross on now being a sailor! When our Christopher passed the equivalent trial-by-fire for Marines, he said some of the guys were in tears at the end.
Of course, he didn’t say whether he was one of them. 😉
On August 12, 2010 at 11:51 am
Terri Draeger says:
Redbud tree.
Congratulations to Ross! Now you can start the celebration! :snoopy:
On August 12, 2010 at 12:22 pm
bonita says:
Yup, the Air show’s gonna be HOT!!!. They’re practicing right now…I can see parts of the formation from my back porch and I’m not anywhere near the lake!!! GO NAVY!
On August 12, 2010 at 1:25 pm
blueberrylu says:
Well, this tree is still a mystery to me. My kids found similar pods on a patch of weeds/trees a few weeks ago—I had never seen such a thing before. I looked up redbud tree and we are not in it’s geograpphic range, and I haven’t seen any beautiful pinky red flowers come spring back in that area. My husband said that as a kid he heard it called p!ss elm from the old farmers in the area, but who knows. (And don’t you just love the names old farmers came up with for weedy trees like that!!) We still aren’t sure what it is, but the pods look just like what Suzanne posted and were about 8-10 inches in length.
On August 12, 2010 at 1:25 pm
blueberrylu says:
Congrats to Ross. All of your mom’s fans knew you would make it!!
On August 12, 2010 at 1:33 pm
Shirley says:
Congratulations to Weston. Ahoy mate!
The tree is a Redbud Tree. They have beautiful blooms in the spring. But as far as I know, the bean pods are not edible.
On August 12, 2010 at 1:49 pm
Shirley says:
I congratulated the wrong kid. Congratulations Ross. I can’t keep anything straight any more. In my area the redbuds have vibrant pink to red blooms. I’ve got to find out more about cooking the seeds. I have 4 of these in my yard. It would be a shame to let something you can eat go to waste.
And you’d be able to pick them in the shade!!!
On August 12, 2010 at 1:52 pm
jean says:
Oh hon, I’m so happy for you. Well, for Ross too. Please let him know that I am very proud of him and give him an extra hug as a thank you!
On August 12, 2010 at 1:55 pm
LisaAJB says:
Congratulations to Ross!! Drive safe!
On August 12, 2010 at 1:55 pm
rileysmom says:
WOOO HOOOO! Congrats to Ross and his very proud mom! :snoopy:
On August 12, 2010 at 3:00 pm
DonnaTN says:
Congratulations! I know he has and will continue to make his family very proud. You have done a good job raising your children!
On August 12, 2010 at 5:06 pm
kellyb says:
Wahoo!!!!!!! Congratulations to Ross and his family. Thank you for serving our country. We’re so proud of you. We’ve enjoyed hearing about your journey and look forward to hearing about your future adventures.
On August 12, 2010 at 5:44 pm
Rose C. says:
A very proud time for you and your family! Tell Ross congrats on becoming a sailor! God bless you family!
On August 12, 2010 at 7:51 pm
Jan says:
Congratulations Ross.You must be a very proud of him Suzanne.
On August 12, 2010 at 8:50 pm
Nancy says:
Congratulations Ross! So excited for you Suzanne! My Wisteria leaves pods like that but they’re fuzzy…anything definate?
On August 12, 2010 at 8:59 pm
princessvanessa says:
Yesterday, I lit a blue candle and said a prayer for Ross and that you, Wesley, and Morgan would have safe trip (both ways). You are truly a “sailor mom” now.
On August 12, 2010 at 9:06 pm
Melinda says:
This has no bearing on what type of tree it is buttttttttt just in case you want to know this lol…..Catalpa trees are also known as “fishing” trees because of the moth catepillars that feed on them. (People in the south used to fish with them…and people other places too I assume) My papaw had one that had a limb that hung over the cattle gate. I used to sit on the limb and drag my bare feet across the top of the cows as he brought them into the barnyard to be fed. Once I got pulled off by doing that and fell face first into nasty muddy stinky cow trodden mud. I think that was the last time I sat in the Catalpa tree!
On August 12, 2010 at 9:08 pm
Beth says:
WOO HOO! Congratulations Ross! So excited for your family. Yay yay yay. 🙂
On August 12, 2010 at 9:08 pm
Laurel says:
It is a Redbud tree…blooms in spring, story goes the buds are red to represent the blood of Jesus Christ.
I remember our trip to Parris Island, S.C. in July of 2001. We had to take 2 cars to bring all three siblings and my husband and myself. Was able to bring him home for 11 days before he left again. With all the hundreds of Marines on the field, I pick out mine right away. A mother can do that, as you will find out in the morning.
God speed and enjoy this wonderful reunion time.
On August 12, 2010 at 9:41 pm
Sue Nugent says:
:snuggle: After reading over the many comments, I researched the redbud a bit, and found this interesting site.
https://www.gpnc.org/redbud.htm
Hope it helps some of you with your concerns.
On August 12, 2010 at 10:16 pm
Amber says:
Yay!!! :happyflower:
On August 12, 2010 at 11:36 pm
EightPondFarm says:
Congratulations to Ross and to you!
Yes, it is a redbud tree! We have both here — so you could see how different they are. The redbuds are early bloomers in the middle of the woods along with the white dogwoods. They are beautiful and such a sign of spring. We eat the blooms sometimes in salads. Never tried eating the pods — but our trees all look like this now. And…it is a great year for catalpa worms (also all over the place now) — the bass love them and we just took a bucket of them down and fed them. I wonder if they are a sign of early fall? Sure could use a change in these temperatures.
On August 13, 2010 at 9:30 am