Happy Arbor Day

A few shots of my favorite trees, living and dead...

 Happy Arbor Day!

My Favorite Tree

This tree, an ancient oak just off the freeway off ramp by my house, is my very favorite. It's the classic dead, scary tree I envision is in the garden of every haunted mansion. I have driven by it and admired it for the last four years, and finally pulled over and took some pictures, often glancing over my shoulder for the Highway Patrol!

 I include a number of pictures of it for reference photos, should you need them. One day, I will be ambitious enough to get over there during the "golden hour" of sunset, so there's more of a contrast between light and shadow.

 Sadly, this beautiful old tree will likely be gone soon, as the entire property has been annexed by the City of Folsom, and some 1200-1500 oak trees will be torn out for homes and businesses. (There's something called "mitigation," which in laymen's terms means if you tear out nature over here, you have to restore some of it, over there. It still doesn't replace what was torn out in the first place, but it puts food on my table...) Even though I realize it's "progress," it still just breaks my heart. I love looking out at the rolling hills and the oooooolllllld ruins of stone walls, possibly the remains of an old west settlement. I can never see those without wondering and imagining what life may have been like back then.

I am secretly hoping it turns out to be an ancient Indian burial ground.