KINSTON, N.C.—Some residents in Kinston are seeing more than just a vine in a growth of kudzu on a local utility pole.Of course, the vine "can be seen" in whichever way we choose.
Reporter Justin Hill of The Kinston Free Press reports people began noticing a utility pole last week with kudzu that they say resembles Jesus on the cross.
Kent Hardison runs Ma's Hot Dog stand and a half mile from the vine and says he was getting ready to spray it with herbicide until he noticed the resemblance.
Hardison and his customers think the vine can be seen as a symbolic reminder that God is watching over people.
But wait!
ENCToday.com says the vine is not kudzu but a trumpet vine. Kudzu is such a pest of a vine that I'd prefer a trumpet vine which "can be seen as a symbolic reminder that God is watching over people."
Digtriad.com tells us: Kent Hardison's "first reaction, common here when it comes to kudzu, was to blast it with Roundup herbicide. But then he had second thoughts, according to The Free Press of Kinston.
"'I glanced at it, and it looks like Jesus,' Hardison said. 'I thought, `You can't spray Jesus with Roundup.'"
Years ago, kudzu was imported from Japan to prevent soil erosion. Ha, ha. Perhaps the vine prevented soil erosion, but it created a whole host of other problems. The lesson is don't mess with Mother Nature.
Make of the vine what you will.
I planted trumpet vine to cover my back wall, which was fine, but it sends runners underground and started showing up yards from where I planted it and began to overgrow my roses. I am trying to eradicate it now, having decided it is an invasive pest. It is very hardy and determined. We hates it.
ReplyDeleteSomehow, I knew at first glance that someone would think, "Jesus, our Lord and Saviour on the Cross."
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to know it's Trumpet, not Kudzu, but I love your headline, Mimi.
We have trumpet vine growing on our fence, along with grape vine, and Confederate jasmine, and the vines stay pretty much on the fence. But if you say I shouldn't want trumpet vine, Pablito, then I won't - even though we have trumpet vines which make pretty flowers. You always know best. :-)
ReplyDeletesusan s., thanks. I rather like the headline, too, if I say so myself.
ReplyDeleteI suspect trumpet vine would not dare misbehave in your yard, Mimi. Were I a steel magnolia it might behave in mine but, alas, it does not.
ReplyDeleteIt is lovely on the wall. I suspect that left unchecked it would swallow my house in another few years.
Think of it. A house swallowed by trumpet vine. That could work if you kept the windows and doors trimmed.
ReplyDeleteIn our previous house, we had a vine that covered the entire rear of the house, with only the windows and doors not covered. We finally had enough of trimming the windows and doors and removed the whole thing. The vine came off in one large sheet with cutouts of windows and doors. Still, shoots from the vine grew in the flower bed until we moved away. I don't know the name of the vine, but I know it when I see it.
From what I know of kudzu, I bet there thousands and thousands of similar "crucifixes" on poles and wires across the (ever-expanding) Kudzu Zone.
ReplyDeletewith apology to Hank Williams
ReplyDeleteHey sweet Jesus.
Whucha got t please us.
Hows about savin a trumpet vine fer meee.
My sweet Savior,
doncha think maybe,
You could find me a brand new ternal liiife
JCF, ya think?
ReplyDeletecheekbass, in the name of Hank Williams, I accept your apology.