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Last month, my mom, my sister, and I went to the Dallas Botanical Gardens. That's where I took this photo.

The tree is called a Bois d'arc (BWAH dark). Other names for it include Osage Orange or Hedge Apple, but around here, we call them Bodark trees. They're indigenous to this region, so they are fairly common. The fruits are big, warty looking, and bright green. My horses love them, but I try not to let them eat them because the juice is really sticky - almost like glue.

These trees were favored by the Native Americans for constructing their bows and they would travel long distances to find one. The wood is hard and strong, and impervious to rot. They make GREAT fence posts because posts made from Bodark wood last forever. Some of the fences that were put up in the late 1800's by the Oklahoma Land Run settlers using this wood are still standing in this area. The bugs won't eat them, and even when the tree dies, the wood just refuses to rot.

Oklahoma was part of the Louisiana Territory - we were settled by the French, believe it or not. When the French explorers observed the native people constructing their bows from these trees, they gave it the name, "Bois D'arc" which means "wood of the bow." Later, we Okies cobbled it down to Bodark (BOWdark).

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I did this little layout for the April "Feeling French" Challenge. I had to use at least three French elements from a list. I didn't have a lot of French stuff left after my project last month, but I did manage to get in just under the three.
1. French Blue - I had this stash of Kay & Company Blue Awning paper. Lucky me!
2. Fleur de Lis - Mine are Jolee's Boutique stickers that I picked up at Michaels or Hobby Lobby (Michaels, I'm fairly sure). The ribbon came from Hobby Lobby - that I DO know.
3. French Words - well, the title, and the metal embellishment has the word Paris on it, even though nothing about this layout is really ABOUT Paris. I just had it and thought it would look cool.

I did a lift of Our Family by Lynnde. Her layout is FABULOUS, so you really should go check it out!

http://www.scrapbook.com/galleries/349301/view/3428245/-1.html

I really had a tough time with this one. I just could not get my project elements to cooperate with me. The ribbon flat refused to do what I told it, and so I had to keep fussing with it, and adding another little bit to fill "that" hole, which created an imbalance over there. By the time it was obvious that I'd gone overboard, it was too late to rescue myself. So as layouts go, it's not my favorite - but it's done, and done is better than perfect.


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