Buckeyes

I was walking the perimeter of the Councilrock property and noticed the strange green spiny walnut coming from various trees. I immediately picked it and cut it open taking it inside to ask Susan if she knew what the tree was. She immediately knew it was a buckeye.

Naturally I took my newly acquired awareness and jumped on the internet to find out more - the history, why Ohio, and what could be done with the nut. Since the nut is slightly toxic, the best use was as a good luck charm - maybe to help rheumatism . The tree officially became Ohio's state tree on October 2, 1953 but the use of the term in referring to OSU or Ohioans had much earlier roots and traced to William Henry Harrison's 1840 presidential campaign.

It's hearty nature and difficulty to kill gave early settlers pride in being called Buckeyes. Now that I have lived in Ohio for almost 40 years - I think I can call myself a Buckeye.