RenoVous

  The Survivor Tree at the 9/11 Memorial in New York City. A Callery pear tree that was planted in the 70's near WTC Building 5. On September 11, the tree had its root system snapped, its bark severely burned, and its trunk reduced to an 8 foot stump.  Tissues were crushed, starved of water, and exposed to extreme heat. It was found in October under debris, and placed in the care of the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation for rehabilitation. The tree used what's called CODIT - compartmentalization of decay in trees - which walls off the dead wood from living, vascular tissue, channeling nutrients to surviving pathways. Hidden buds beneath the bark produced epicormic shoots, which helps the tree replace lost leaves and make food.  Smooth new limbs began to grow from the gnarled, charred trunk. In 2010, the tree had grown to 30 feet, and was returned to the WTC Plaza, where it became an emblem of resilience and hope.

  According to the Arbor Day Foundation, "the science and data behind deciding where to plant trees is anything but simple." They have a few different articles touching on the environment and climate, as well as community. Science and Technology The Kew Millennium Seed Bank is the largest plant conservation program in the world.  They have approximately 2.5 billion seeds, and hold nearly 90% of the UK's native plant species. Seed List I searched Pinus  for the United States, and they have 5. Knobcone pine, Coulter pine, Rocky Mountain white (or limber pine), Sugar pine, and bishop pine. The limber pine is also here in Nevada, particularly in the Great Basin area.

  China's "Great Green Wall" initiative is an effort to slow land degradation and climate change by planting trees and restoring grasslands. From 2001 to 2020, "they have actively restored thriving ecosystems, especially in the Loess Plateau.  This has also reactivated the water cycle." Evaporation removes water from surfaces and soils, while transpiration removes water that plants have absorbed from the soil.  Together, this is called evapotranspiration, and this fluctuates with plant cover, as well as water availability and solar energy. Increasing evapotranspiration, in turn, increases precipitation. These changes led to less fresh water in the eastern monsoon region, and increased water availability in the Tibetan Plateau. China's restoration accounts for 25% of the global net increase in leaf area from 2000-2017.

  The Silver Belle, from the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest here in Nevada. "Starry skies to neon lights." For 55 years, a tree from American public land has been selected for the Capitol.  This is the first time one has come from Nevada.  The red fir was blessed by the Washoe tribes before it was harvested. As it travels across the country, it stops for various parades and events.  The Kenworth truck carrying it has a tracker. Almost There! Once in D.C. it will be adorned with 10,000 handmade ornaments. Lighting will take place December 3rd.

 Celebrated from March 20 through April 13 in Washington D.C. As you may know, the trees were gifts from Japan received in 1912. They line the tidal basin of the Potomac River leading to the Jefferson Memorial. Peak bloom is anticipated for this weekend. My photo is here in town though.  There are gardens on the UNR campus and San Rafael Park. There is a festival in San Francisco as well, April 12-13 and 19-20. Being on the west coast, where many Japanese Americans were interned, the purpose is more about a commitment to peace - in D.C. they symbolize friendship and cultural exchange.  Of course, being in Japantown, you will be celebrating culture in SF as well. Called sakura, it is the national flower of Japan.  They have been referenced for centuries in poetry and literature, with their fragility seen as a symbol of life, death, and rebirth.

  Tamarisk at home. Desert peach. Trees at the park. I'll be off tomorrow so Hubby and I can go camp and enjoy this beautiful warm up!

  Partly a celebration of finding a Christmas tree, and partly to appreciate the forests around us. Above is Tahoe National Forest, from Yuba Pass. The Douglas Fir is most popular for Christmas, but this year at Rockefeller Center they chose a Norway Spruce.  White Pine is considered most traditional.  Balsam Fir is said to be the most fragrant. Also in the spirit of Christmas, holly is an evergreen, and previously associated with Saturnalia. More from the Sierra Nevadas: Sequoia Evergreens have played an important role in many societies throughout the ages, selected for "their seemingly eternal nature even in a season of death." I've long loved that contrast of cold and white, life and green.

  Real name, John Chapman.  Born on this day in 1774. He became an American legend while he was still alive, as a nurseryman and conservationist. Johnny started an apprenticeship as an orchardist, inspiring his love of apples.  By 1800, he had his own orchard in Licking River, Ohio.  Once he decided to spread out, he started planting nurseries instead of orchards.  He would build fences around them and leave them in the care of neighbors, returning every year or two to tend the trees. In 1817, the Church of New Jerusalem spoke of a missionary who traveled around sowing apple seeds. He introduced apple trees to large parts of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Ontario - as well as some northern counties of West Virginia. A last remnant in Savannah, Ohio. We were recently gifted some homemade apple sauce from a friend's tree. Yum.

 April showers bring May flowers! Let us gather them along with green branches and weave a floral garland.  ^_^ The Met Gala is tonight, so fashion will be tomorrow.

 Boab trees grow large and live long.  The oldest in Australia is about 1500. So it's no surprise that dendroglyphs have been found in the Tanami Desert, belonging to the Jaru people. Brenda Garstone is Jaru, and she teamed up with archaeologists to find and document these carvings.  So far, they have found 12. The above is a snake, as were most of the findings, but others were of emu and kangaroo tracks.  The team also spotted grinding stones and tools around the trees. Boabs disintegrate after death, which leaves little behind.  Preservation and documentation is all the more important in order to maintain these ancestral connections to the land. There is mention of how these carvings link to "King Brown Snake Dreaming."  I found two Indigenous renderings. From 1986, Billy Japaljarri Hogan From 2009, Darryl Bellotti  Science News

  The marina side of the island became one of our favorite places to walk and wander. My favorite tree. The ocean side is pretty nice too though. San Francisco there in the distance.

Back on the road - we stopped at the Drive Thru Tree Park in Leggett. Crossing the Eel River. And we've reached our destination - Mattole Camp on the Lost Coast.

First day at Bodega Bay. Back on Highway 1, touring the area. Entering Armstrong Redwoods State Park Forest Theater (Built in the 1930's) Backstage. We took a side road back in to Bodega Bay. Where the bay and harbor come together - the campground is there across the way, you can see some RV's....