Oak Trees

Since I started this blog I now carry my camera everywhere.

Constantly looking for interesting subjects, or for the

Sunday Stills challenges. For every one good shot,

I delete 10. I am not a photographer.

When JS asked me to take some things up to a job I was exited.

It's located up on top of a ridge above the rim rock and has

a great view of the valley and the Sutter Buttes. Once I got

there, I couldn't see the valley or the buttes. It was so hazy,

that all I could see was gray.

At the entrance to the job was this great oak tree and wagon,

so I took some shots. It started me thinking about all the big

Valley Oaks and how we're losing them to disease or "progress".

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not a tree hugger I believe in

responsible logging and wood heat. But the big oaks are what

makes the California landscape.................."CALIFORNIA"

The big oaks were always apart of my growing up, like giant

guardians watching over my life. Before I started school, the

acorns and the oak balls with a few burnt wooden matches

were my toys. They became my play mates as I got older. The

big limbs hanging to the ground made for easy climbing to

imaginary worlds and day dreaming. When I was big

enough to ride with my Dad and Mom we would find the

cows shaded up beneath them. After high school, I started

traveling around the country side and when I came back to

California they were the first to welcome me home.

Now they are dear old friends and the keepers of my memories.