Watching a Crow Decide Whether to Stay or Fly Away

I Found the Crow First on a Power Line

I'm trying to get back to walking again to get stronger, so after I got attached to my Holter monitor this morning I walked all over Posada Lane and behind MedWorks to a drainage ditch. I took almost 300 photos, some of which you will see in future posts. But today I will show you the crow I followed. I first saw it when I had walked over to Las Tablas Road toward the hospital to get a shot of where they are rebuilding a medical complex that burned down a year or two ago. Then I heard some cawing and looked up.  That's when I saw it.

Crow on a Power Line. Will it Fly Away? © B. Radisavljevic

It appeared that the crow couldn't decide whether or not to fly to the tree. Eventually it made a decision and flew away. That was almost the end of the story. Until I walked back around the corner to Posada Lane.

My First Introduction to Crows

I've seen crows around all my life, but I first learned a bit about what they were like when I read Blacky the Crow by Thornton Burgess.  I highly recommend the Burgess animal stories for getting children acquainted with nature in a fun way.

I Find the Crow Again

I was almost back to where my car was parked when I stopped to take this photo. I had never noticed this tree before. The color resembled a sycamore at this time of year, but the leaves were wrong. A woman walked by, saw me with a camera, and asked me if I were taking a picture of the hawk. I told her I was taking a picture of the tree and was trying to figure out what it was. She said, "It's an oak." I knew the leaves were the right shape, but I'd never seen oak leaves so big. 

Red Oak, © B. Radisavljevic

This is my go-to book when trying to identify my local trees in San Luis Obispo County. It's written by a professor at Cal Poly.


There are some cheaper copies at eBay if you prefer that to Amazon.

As I found out later, she was right about the tree, but wrong about the "hawk." It turned out to be my elusive crow, or its friend. There were two of them. This is the one that stayed in one place long enough for me to get a shot. 

Another crow began to circle and call and it flew to the next tree. Finally this bird decided to follow. 

Crow in Flight, © B. Radisavljevic

I think being among the birds and the trees had a healing effect today. How often do you take nature walks?

What is your favorite way to interact with nature?

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Sycamore Leaves Everywhere

Many of my Neighbors Have Sycamore Trees

When I walk down to get the mail or even go into my own yard, there are sycamore leaves everywhere at this time of year. These were in a neighbor's yard.

It almost goes without saying that the sidewalks will be full of leaves. So are the gutters beside the curb.

Girl Walking Dogs on the Sycamore Leaf-Strewn Sidewalk, © B. Radisavljevic

The sycamore trees in the yards blow leaves onto and into the hedges and shrubs. You can see that below. They also wander onto the sidewalks and collect beside the curbs where the cars park.

Leaves under Sycamore Tree, © B. Radisavljevic

 I have a sycamore tree next door and another almost right across the street, so the leaves are always blowing into my yard. I had to get me a pair of these leaf grabbers to get them out of my flowerbeds. They go where my rakes can't.


See what I mean? A normal leaf rake would be too wide and need to scrape from the bottom. They are great for the lawn and sidewalks, but not not so great among the flowers and herbs.

Leaves around my Scabiosa Flower and Herb Bed, © B. Radisavljevic

Leaves around my Gazanias and Herbs, © B. Radisavljevic

I guess that's why some people get leaf blowers, but I hate the noise they make. They just blow the leaves somewhere else where they may make your neighbors mad, or they could even come back to you if the wind changes. If you don't care about all that and just want the convenience, this is a good one.


If you don't want to bend over and you don't like the noise of the power leaf blowers, this might help you. It reaches into those hard places and brings them out where you can get them without tromping on your flowers.


Not all leaves are as easy to reach as those Mother Nature lets land on top of shrubs and hedges, like this juniper.

Sycamore Leaves on Juniper Bush, © B. Radisavljevic

Juniper, holly, and some other bushes where leaves land can be prickly and not much fun to touch while you are getting the leaves off them and into your bag. Of course, gloves can also help with that. And you can use them when you prune your roses, too.


The grabbers are especially useful for grabbing sycamore and other really large leaves that tend to stick in the tines of rakes. You can also use them to drop leaves directly into a bag or can easily. I even use them on the lawn when too many blow leaves blow over from nextdoor.

It's Time to Tackle those Leaves, Sycamore or Not

I hope the tool suggestions above will help you if you've been using your old leaf rake forever and want something that works better. Since I hate the noise, I use the grabbers. They would help free this baby oak from the mulberry, oak, and sycamore leaves almost covering it.

Autumn Leaves Smothering Baby Oak Tree, © B. Radisavljevic

Rakes are useful in cleaning up the gutters beside the curb -- until you get to the parked cars.

Sycamore Leaves on Sidewalk and Gutter around Car Tire,  © B. Radisavljevic

Those sycamore leaves really do go everywhere.

Do you have a sycamore tree in your yard? Does a close neighbor have one? How do you deal with the leaves?


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Pomegranates: A Beautiful Autumn Gift

Pomegranates Are Stunning Stars of the Autumn Garden

When many flowers are beginning to disappear, the bright red fruit of the pomegranate tree adds a burst of color to a flower bed. I found this tree in my neighbor's flower garden.

Pomegranates on the Tree, © B. Radisavljevic

I only wish I'd been around with my camera when this pomegranate tree was in bloom. I've never seen it blooming. I must have been too busy to walk in that direction during spring. I'll make a point of going next spring, God willing. I'm sure it will be a show worth seeing.

I did find this photo of a pomegranate blossom on Pixabay. It shows me what I missed. Imagine a tree filled with these flowers! You can see one of the forming fruits peeking out beneath a leaf a bit higher than the flower.

Pomegranate Flower Image Courtesy of Pixabay

Here's how the tree looks in the garden among the flowers. I believe those are roses below it.

Pomegranate Tree in a Garden, © B. Radisavljevic

Pomegranates Make Lovely Tree Ornaments

As I gazed at the tree, the pomegranate fruits looked like Christmas tree ornaments.  I decided to put some on Zazzle ornaments. They come in many styles and shapes. You can get large ceramic ones as hearts, squares, circles, or ovals -- the only ceramic shapes I recommend. You can also get smaller premium ornaments with metal edges, like this one. (Also available as square.)

Ripe Pomegranate Ornament
by barbsbooks

These ornaments from Amazon feature open pomegranates that display their delicious seeds. Even the seed color is red to contrast with the green of the trees.

Sur La Table Pomegranate Glass OrnamentOrnaments to Remember: POMEGRANATE Christmas OrnamentOld World Christmas Pomegranate Glass Blown Ornament

Pomegranates Are Tasty and Healthy Fruits

Pomegranate seeds (also known as arils) are packed with nutrients. Just one cup contains 7 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein. They are also good sources of Vitamin C, Vitamin K, folate, and potassium. They contain powerful antioxidants, as well.

 If that's not enough, they also fight inflammation in the body and may help defend the body against breast and prostate cancer. That's just the beginning of the pomegranate's virtues as a nutrient.  Read more about the healthful effects of eating pomegranates at Twelve Health Benefits of Pomegranate in the Healthlines Newsletter.

Of course, to get the health benefits, one has to actually consume the pomegranate arils. They are tasty, tart and sweet together. The reason more people don't eat pomegranates is that they can be expensive if you don't have a tree, and they aren't the easiest fruit to eat. All the tasty nutritious arils are buried in a tough bitter membrane and it is hard to remove them by hand. I just discovered there is a better way to get at them instead of digging them out while staining your fingers with that lovely red color. There is a handy tool for getting them loose.





Some people still think that's too much work, so they just buy pomegranate juice. It's also packed with nutrients and phytochemicals your body needs, but you can't get the fiber from the juice. This book will tell you more about why pomegranates are considered by some to be so useful in wellness.

Do You Eat Pomegranates?

If you do eat pomegranates, do you dig the seeds out by hand, use a tool, or have a different method of getting them loose? If you don't eat them, what is the main reason why you don't? Have you tried them and not enjoyed their taste? Or does it just seem like too much work to eat them? Do you eat or drink them in products such as juice or jelly? I drink a white tea in which pomegranate extract is one of the ingredients used to add flavor.

Of course there's more one can do with pomegranates than eating the seeds or drinking juice or tea. This book celebrates the pomegranate and contains seventy different recipes that include it. I'd like to try the syrup and some of the main dish recipes.



In addition to explaining how to use the seeds or juice them, the book also illuminates the cultural history of the pomegranate, which has been prized since Biblical times. Some scholars believe this is the forbidden fruit Eve ate, but some others believe she ate a fig or apricot. Apples didn't grow in the Middle East that far back in time.

Do you have a favorite pomegranate recipe? How do you most enjoy getting your pomegranate flavor? Have you ever had a pomegranate tree in your yard?

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I Do Love Trees -- Especially These Trees

These Trees Frame Most of My Sunset Photos

The oak lives right across the street from me. The palms live across the intersecting street from the oak. From my yard, I can frame the sunset between them. My only frustration when photographing the sunset in this frame of trees is the streetlight in front of the oak. 

It's a bit darker in this photo. As often happens, in order to get the sunset shot I want, part of the oak gets cut out. 

Sometimes the oak solos in the photos.

Sometimes the palms stand alone. 

I Think God Made Trees to Complement Sunsets

Of course, there are many other reasons I love trees. They provide shade in summer, turn carbon dioxide into oxygen, provide tasty fruits to eat, and turn lovely colors in the fall. In winter blooming trees provide beautiful reminders that spring is coming soon. They provide places for birds to nest and perch. What's not to love about trees? 

Okay, I do know they drop unwanted seeds in the fall (but the squirrels and birds love them.) Sometimes they drop messy fruits. Raking those lovely colored leaves in autumn is a tradition I like much better than those horrible noisy blowers too many people use now, but I understand that some people consider raking or blowing leaves a chore. I personally think the pros of growing trees far outweighs the cons. Our lives would be much poorer without them. 

 

What do you love most about trees? Which trees do you like best? Do you have a favorite tree that means something special to you? Please share your thoughts in the comments. 

Also see Palms in a Golden Sunset, Trees Are Leafing Out Again, Deciduous Oaks in Winter

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Theme Day: A Simple Acorn #AtoZchallenge

Acorns on the Ground, © B. Radisavljevic

The City Daily Photo Bloggers Theme for April 1 this year is The Beauty of Simplicity. I believe a simple acorn fits this theme beautifully. It also is appropriate for a new challenge I have accepted, The A-Z Challenge, that runs through April. My theme will be things I see or experience  here in North San Luis Obispo County, California. I'm so far #1491 on the sign-up list.

In the photo  to the left, we see detached acorns,  on the ground, fallen from the tree. Most have lost their caps. Below is a photo of a single  acorn, still living on its tree. This photo was taken in October, 2011. I took it while out for a photo  walk one day. 

Acorns almost never grow alone. In the photo below you see some that are growing together. Even if you look closely at the photo above you will notice the acorn is not alone. There is another one hiding behind it.

Acorns on Oak Tree, © B. Radisavljevic

Often acorns grow in close together, like these below.

Acorns on Oak Tree, © B. Radisavljevic

Did you notice that all the acorns still on their oak trees still  have their caps intact? Most will lose these after they fall to the ground.

Acorns may look simple, but they have a lot of power packed inside. The acorns in the photo below fell from the oak tree that lives across the street from me in Paso Robles.

Acorns under an Oak Tree, © B. Radisavljevic

We've all heard that mighty oaks from little acorns grow. Below is the oak tree these fell from. We can assume this majestic oak grew from a small acorn just like these. In fact, I have little oak trees sprouting in my  yard from these acorns that I sometimes don't see until they are a few feet tall because they sprout under other trees and shrubs.

 Oak Tree in Paso Robles Neighborhood, © B. Radisavljevic

If you look on the hills in the background, you will see many more oaks. Paso Robles has so many oak trees it was named after them. Paso Robles means Pass of the Oaks. One of the most famous landmarks in Paso Robles is what we've nicknamed the Acorn Building because its clock tower is shaped like an acorn. You can see it pictured below on these Zazzle products. Click here to see more Zazzle products it appears on.

 Clock Tower Downtown Paso Robles iPad Mini Cover Clock Tower Downtown Paso Robles Puzzle Clock Tower Downtown Paso Robles Postage Stamp Clock Tower Downtown Paso Robles Postcard

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See what other bloggers from cities all over the world have chosen as their photos on the Beauty of Simplicity theme.

Related articles

• Looking at Deciduous Oak Trees in Winter
• Oak Trees
• A pocket of acorns

The Irish Hills of San Luis Obispo

Since I don't see any shamrocks growing in Paso Robles or leprechauns hanging around the river, I had to go south a bit to find anything Irish in my photo album. Then I remembered the Irish Hills of San Luis Obispo. 

in San Luis Obispo. One can access the hiking trails in the Irish Hills from the south end of Madonna road. One can see them and get a more complicated access near the parking lots of Costco and Home Depot. This photo on the left was taken from the Costco parking lot. (I confess to playing with editing effects here.) The photo directly below this paragraph was also taken from the Costco parking lot in the late afternoon, which is why the sky looks so washed out. 

If you enter the trail from the south end of Madonna road, as we did one day to work off our lunch, you can park in the residential center below the trail. I took this photo after we got above it and looked back.

From Trail through The Irish Hills of San Luis Obispo,
Looking Down at Housing Tract, © B. Radisavljevic

The photo below was taken from higher up on the trail. Unfortunately, we did not have time on that day to see more of the trail. Hubby got tired, and I did not feel good about continuing alone.

Trees on the Trail through The Irish Hills of San Luis Obispo, © B. Radisavljevic

I hope you had a great St. Patrick's Day!

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 Day Hikes Around San Luis Obispo: 156 Great Hikes
If you like hiking and want to find a very complete guide to the trails in and around San Luis Obispo County, this is the book for you. Details about the hikes such as length, difficulty, elevation, what you will see, and whether dogs are allowed are summed up before each hike description. Clear maps are provided for each hike, as well as directions for getting to the trail and parking information.

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Related articles

• Beginner's Guide to Hiking Trail Etiquette

The Mistletoe is Bright Green

Mistletoe at its Brightest

While I was on the corner of Seventh and Pine Streets yesterday, I could not help but notice that the mistletoe on this tree is bright green in contrast to the new leaves on the tree. Mistletoe loves moisture, and I'm sure the recent rains have made it happy. It's good the trees are also strengthened by the rains. 

Mistletoe is a parasitic shrub. It gets its food and water from the host tree. When mistletoe becomes very dense, it can kill the branch of the tree it's clinging to. This can seriously weaken the host tree. The photo below offers you a closer look at the mistletoe plants. 

A Close Look at Mistletoe in March after the Rains

Trees Are Leafing Out Again

Although it's not yet officially spring, the trees are leafing out again. Perhaps it's to respond to all the rain that is refreshing their roots. It seems just last week most trees were still bare, except for the flowering trees. After they shed their blossoms, they started wearing leaves.

I took a photo of the birch tree in my side yard that was naked just a few days ago. Now it's dressed in green. I actually think it's more interesting without the leaves. I love its delicate frame of branches.

After photographing the birch tree, I turned my attention to the oak across the street. Unlike the photo of the same tree in the top corner, I did not apply any effects to these photos. You will notice how blue the sky is in the photo above as I was looking east. In the photos  below, I was looking north, and the sky was still cloudy gray, yet I took the photos within minutes of each other.

As you can see, it was a gray day, even though the rain was past. I could not fit all of my neighbor's large oak tree into the photo because of where the sun was. That's a lamp post sticking up on the right side.

The photo above shows the delicate leaves contrasting with the sturdy frame of the oak. Below we see the smaller branches at the very top.

Fairytale Garden 3D Effect Window View Picture Canvas Print



Bring a spring window view of trees right into your home with this 3-D canvas wrapped print. It looks like a real window on your wall. Great for a small room with no windows. Is it still looking like winter where you live? Bring a spring window view of trees right into your home with this 3-D canvas wrapped print. It looks like a real window on your wall. Great for a small room with no windows.

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Related articles

• Bee in a Silk Tree
• If a Tree Fell and No One Heard It...
• Looking at Deciduous Oak Trees in Winter
• There is Little Life Left in this Old Cottonwood Tree