The end of Autumn


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This photo was taken about a week and a half ago. The leaves are all gone now, and we can see the house behind us, through the woods. We also lost one of our trees. Our next door neighbor has been piling his grass clippings at the back of his yard for the last 10 years or so and they have formed a little dam. When we get heavy rain there’s a shallow pond at the back of his yard. (The left edge of this photo.) In the past two years we’ve had two of our big oak trees lay down because of rotted roots. It’s really sad. The only good thing, really, is that some of the smaller trees back in in that edge of the forest may now get a bit more sun and might grow taller.

The oak trees in Oakland are nothing like these trees. Four of our trees here are the big white oak variety. The California live oaks that dot the Oakland landscape are very different. I have a new appreciation for trees now that we’ve gotten to know the grove we’ve lived with here in Moline. I’m looking forward to getting in touch with the trees in and around Lake Merritt. And the trees up in the hills behind Montclair.

Sunday November 8, 2009 — Mark —


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