Three trees

In Master Gardener Katie's yard are three very different trees: in front, the bare tree is a gingko, the red one is a liquidambar still holding onto its leaves, and the semi-bare one in the back is a valley oak. All three are deciduous but their timing is obviously different, as are their colors. The gingko turns yellow before the leaves fall, the liquidambar red through yellow and the valley oak just turns brown.

Spring Man

Hans worries about the monsters in his neighborhood (see his blog of December 15 at http://hansroenau.blogspot.com/) and I had reason to worry too when I walked on a certain San Anselmo street. I got away as quick as I could, though not before I captured his image for you. Be careful if you walk there; he could spring after you without warning; even though he is restrained, the restraints don't look very strong.

Several people offered an ID for the flower yesterday, but there seems to still be some uncertainty since there were several scientific names offered:

It's a blue-eyed coppernicus! Very rare in California.
It's an azure-eyed copperwireus. I thought everyone knew that flower. Glad to help!
Could it be a Metalicas Meanderus?

Looks like a hand-made metal flower of the can do better variety.
See the big eye in the middle--it is what we call an alien flower.

I guess I'll have to go with the person who offered to have her Master Gardener friend look at it (even though two MGs were stumped already)!