Bee in a Silk Tree

Silk trees are in bloom again and will be for a bit longer. In this photo, you can see a bee hard at work in the silk tree's puffy pink flowers. You can also see the buds for future flowers that are not yet open.

Bee Foraging on Silk Tree Flower, © B. Radisavljevic 

Silk trees are members of the legume family of plants. The scientific name of the silk tree is Albizia julibrissin. It is a deciduous tree. In the photo below you can see all three stages of the tree's reproduction, but the bee is only interested in one of them -- the flower.

Bee in Silk Tree Flower with Buds and Fruits, © B. Radisavljevic
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Next to the flowers, you see the buds of the next flowers. Below the flowers, you see the long green pods that hold the seeds. Can you see the resemblance to peas and other plants in the legume family?

The photos on this page were taken in October 2012, on Bethel Road in Templeton on what was then the Veris Tasting Room property.

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What I'd Miss Most If I Had to Leave Paso Robles Forever

I'd Miss the Oak Trees

There are actually two things I would really miss if I left Paso Robles forever. One is the oak trees. The other is the vineyards.

The Oak Tree Across the Street at Sunset

The oak tree pictured above lives across the street from me in the Riverbank tract of Paso Robles. It is the perfect frame for the sunset each night. Were I to move I would miss both the tree and the stunning sunsets that appear behind it every evening we have clouds in the sky.

Of course, this is not the only oak tree I'd miss. We have our own oak tree on our Templeton property.

Zazzle Products that Combine What I Like Best about Living in Paso Robles 

These Zazzle posters, puzzles, tiles and other products were made from photos I took in my neighboring vineyards. They will show you more of the views that make me glad to live in Paso Robles. Most of them appear on a variety of other products like shirts, postcards, electronic cases, and dinnerware. You will notice most of the views of vineyards have an oak in sight somewhere. It's hard to find a vineyard without an oak in or near it. You can't drive down the main streets of Templeton or Paso Robles without finding one or more majestic oak trees.

 Harvest Season at Doce Robles, Paso Robles Placemat Puzzle: Grapes on the Vine, Aron Hill Vineyard Jigsaw Puzzle Scripture plaque: Vineyard, Luke 10:2 Plaque Heart Hill at Niner Estates, in Autumn Ceramic Tile Oak in Autumn Vineyard Classic Round Sticker Tile: Oak and Barrels at Doce Robles Vineyard Tile Puzzle: Autumn Grape Foliage Jigsaw Puzzle Puzzle: Heart Hill in Paso Robles, CA Jigsaw Puzzle Puzzle: California Vineyard before Harvest in Nov Jigsaw Puzzle

The Vineyards in and Around Paso Robles

The other thing I would miss most is the opportunity to roam through all the vineyards with my camera in my hand. It would be hard to choose one favorite among them. I most often visit the Bethel Road vineyards: Veris Vineyards (no longer open as a winery,) Peachy Canyon Winery, Castoro Cellars, and Zenaida, which is across Highway 46 West from Bethel Road. I cannot leave out Doce Robles, where I often stop to capture the sunset on the way to Templeton in the evenings or Sculpterra with its magnificent sculpture garden. I have often attended the Community Independence Day Party Dr. Frankel, the owner, hosts there.

View from Rotta Vineyard.
Our house is that white spot in the middle of the clump of trees in the center. 

I suppose if I have to choose the vineyard I would most miss seeing, though, it would be the ones surrounding our Templeton home  -- our personal vineyard views. One is over the hill and I see it when I'm in my garden. I believe it's part of the Rotta Winery, since I've walked to the top of that hill and looked down at our house. (See photo above.)

The vines at the top over our back fence belong to Croad Vineyards

As we come in our driveway in Templeton, we see the Croad vineyard across our back fence. It is our privilege to see the vine color change through the seasons. The vines are usually most beautiful in autumn during harvest time.

Please Pin This Photo of Paso Robles Wine Country in Autumn

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