Trees Removed

Earlier this week I posted about some trees in the neighborhood that had been damaged because of the weather. See: Trees Down

trees, high winds, wet soil, storm, trees downToday as I drove by the park on my way home I  noticed that some trees in the nearby park had been removed.

Park, tree removal, storm damage, cleanupThe tree in the first picture has been removed and the stump has been marked with a cone. The next step will be grinding the stumps and perhaps planting a new tree.

trees, high winds, wet soil, storm, trees downHere is a large tree that had come down in the park.

Park, tree removal, storm damage, cleanupToday they removed most of the tree and all that is left is the stump. There is now a big gap in the tree line in the park.

Park, tree removal, storm damage, cleanupThey also removed two trees from another line of trees. These had been dead for some time, so it was good to see them taken away. There is also another tree in a different part of the park that was removed.

I walk around this park almost every day, so it will be interesting to see how the view has changed. Especially with the removal of the large tree that had blown over. This will also change the wind patterns a little bit as there is now less protection from the sometimes cold winds from the west.

I am tired after a long week in the classroom and some horrible commutes. Because of the storms there are several alternative routes through the Altamont Hills that are closed due to mud slides and washouts on the roads. This has caused more traffic on my route to work.

Steven

 

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Rabbit or Cat?

Is this the  Year of the Rabbit or the Year of the Cat?

This has been a topic of discussion at work this week. I am sure that many of you have seen that this is the Year of the Rabbit.

black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus), wetlands, office, preserved wetlands, rabbit, hareHowever, it is not the Year of the Rabbit in all cultures who use a lunar calendar.

Cat - Barn Cat - Feline - Tarragon - Pretty CatFor Vietnam it is the Year of the Cat. I have several friends who are from Vietnam and we have had some good discussions about this.

Kedma Village, White Cat, Israel, Two Color of EyesThere are several theories about why it is the Year of the Cat in Vietnam. The more likely is that the cat is an important animal in Vietnam as it helps protect crops. Another theory is that the Chinese word for rabbits sounds similar to meow, the sound that cats make.

Rabbit - Bunny - Cottontail - Nature - Fence - Omaha, NebraskaI believe the first theory is more plausible as there is another difference between the two list of names for the years. The Water Buffalo is used instead of the Ox. Again in the aquaculture of Vietnam the Water Buffalo is more important that the Ox.

Ushuia Argentina, Furthest South Cat, Cat, FelineWhether it is the Year of the Rabbit or the Year of the Cat, it is a new lunar year and people all over the world celebrated the new year.

I hope you enjoyed some of the pictures of rabbits and cats I have taken over the years. The cats are from California, Israel and Argentina and the rabbits are from California and Nebraska.

Steven

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