Friday 2 July 2010

The Trees of Orange County

As I mentioned in my last post, there is quite a bit of concrete in Newport Beach.  At least two thirds of the town is covered in the stuff. 

But there are loads of trees, and they have really knocked me out.

When you look at them individually, they are amazing - some with smooth thick bark like an elephant, or ribbed like a crocodile: some flaky as old paint.






 Pink and blue and green










But when you see a mass planting, that is something else altogether:




By Nimisha Prasanth Pookal (flowers)
downloaded from Flickr under creative commons

By Nimisha Prasanth Pookal (flowers)
downloaded from Flickr under creative commons

I just love them.

But my favourites are two little old olive-type trees outside my daughter's apartment.  They are pretty dull, frankly, as trees, although one has a lovely knarled old trunk, and the setting is unremarkable, but they are completely full, all day long, with tiny humming-birds, just doing their thing, whatever humming-birds do.

Mostly they seem to be engaged in full and frank exchange of views, and active conflict resolution.  They seem to be rather assertive, and yet highly defensive little birds.

This suits my current mixed mood, and I love them for that.


By Nimisha Prasanth Pookal (flowers)
downloaded from Flickr under creative commons

Stunning!

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