Palmerton Arboretum

(If you have a moment, I entered this picture and a write-up about the Palmerton Arboretum into a contest, and it would be wonderful if you would go there and "Like" the picture if you like my story and image! :) Weekly Writing and Photography Contest: Palmerton Arboretum ) Yesterday Steve and I went on another Sunday Lunch ride, which started at the beautiful Palmerton Arboretum in Rogue River. I have taken many pictures there and never tire of the amazing trees and plants there. This is the national tree of Chile, known as a Monkey Puzzle Tree or Chilean Pine Tree. However, I like to call it the Amazing Dr. Seuss Tree! It's covered with branches that twist and turn in all directions, and every inch is covered with spines! Totally spectacular to see and easily my favorite plant at the arboretum. More information about this tree from Wikipedia: Araucaria araucana (commonly called the monkey puzzle tree, monkey tail tree, Chilean pine, or pehuén) is an evergreen tree growing to 40 metres (130 ft) tall with a 2 metres (7 ft) trunk diameter. The tree is native to central and southern Chile and western Argentina. Araucaria araucana is the hardiest species in the conifer genus Araucaria. Because of the great age of this species it is sometimes described as a living fossil and can live as long as 1,000 years! Thanks to my dear Chilean friend Noelegroj (Jorge Leon Cabello) , who so kindly told me what kind of tree this was!! Please make sure to visit his photostream when you can, as his photography of Chile is incredible!!

Oh, it's been another one of those crazy days!! Steve hosted another Sunday Lunch Ride and I was in absolute HEAVEN, riding in gorgeous Rogue River! So wonderful to be home! Got to take hundreds of pictures with my beloved Mark II, so happy to have it with me once again! Once we got home, there wasn't much time to look at my pictures before I was working on an important project that could not wait. I've only stopped long enough to finish this picture and put it up on my stream! I hope that things will calm down soon, as I am missing your photostreams and want to catch up with all of you!!! This picture was taken at the Palmerton Arboretum in Rogue River, and I think these look like alien pods from outer space!! :D I wish I had more time to put up some more pictures, I got zillions of wonderful images to share! Hopefully I can slip them in during the week! :) Ellen Lee DeGeneres (born January 26, 1958) is an American stand-up comedian, television host and actress. She has hosted the syndicated talk show The Ellen DeGeneres Show since 2003. Wikipedia: Ellen DeGeneres

Another lovely leaf I found at the Palmerton Arboretum back in October. I really could have spent the whole day there taking pictures! So much loveliness everywhere! By the way, I've uploaded two other pictures today and I hope you'll visit them too! Thanks to all of you who have visited and have left comments and favorites! I try to go to all of your pages within a day or two and is a highlight for me to see your beautiful photography! :) (I've been very busy with my current graphic design project but I'm planning to visit as many of you as I can today!)

This was another lovely find at the Palmerton Arboretum in Rogue River, Oregon. Juniper is also known as cedar, but isn't the same as the popular family of trees harvested for its wood (Cedrus) . These are aromatic evergreen conifers which are native to the northern hemisphere. There are more than 50 species, which range in size and shape from small shrubs to trees up to 130 feet tall! Their berries have been used for medicinal purposes and for flavoring gin! If you would like to know more about this hardy plant, Wiki has a very nice page here: Wiki: Juniper By the way, I've uploaded two other pictures today and I hope you'll visit them too! Thanks to all of you who have visited and have left comments and favorites! I try to go to all of your pages within a day or two and is a highlight for me to see your beautiful photography! :) (I've been very busy with my current graphic design project but I'm planning to visit as many of you as I can today!)

Here's another beautiful, droplet-covered leaf that I found at the Palmerton Arboretum in Rogue River, Oregon. That was such a nice visit, we'll have to go back sometime soon to see what it looks like with all the trees bare!

The title of this image is my favorite fall quote because it's so true! Such a lovely time of year! This is another picture taken at the Palmerton Arboretum in Rogue River, Oregon.

I got home from my trip to San Francisco last night and it was super! I spent almost all my time helping out my father, and we got a lot of needed projects accomplished! Best of all, it was fantastic to be with him, as it's been a whole year and I missed him so very much. I only see him about once a year so every moment is extremely precious to me. I did get one day to go to the amazing Academy of Science and I took lots of pictures. I will post some n the next few weeks. (If you visit San Francisco, put it into your itinerary, what an incredible place!) This picture is another one from the Rogue River Palmerton Arboretum, and as you can see, it seems there's no end to the loveliness found there! I'm hoping to be back to my usual posting and commenting in the next day or two once I'm settled! I've missed all of you so much and can't wait to see what you've all been posting!! Thanks for all the comments and favorites and as usual, your patience while I've been away! :) And finally, thanks for all the wonderful comments and favorites on my pumpkin picture, it was great fun to carve them and a happy surprise to get a nice picture too! *BIG HUGE HUGS* to all of you!!! :)

(+ 2 inset images) The Palmerton Arboretum has a wide variety of trees to appreciate, and I loved the many-lobed leaves of the Horse Chestnut trees I found growing there.These trees are also covered with countless prickle-covered nut fruits which look like something from another planet! Horse Chestnut Trees are native to southeast Europe and are commonly cultivated in parks around the world. They have beautiful pink flowers which turn into horse chestnuts. They get their name from the similarity to the true chestnut combined with the false information that the nuts cured horses of chest ailments. In fact, these nuts are poisonous to horses! Horse Chestnuts are also known as conkers, which is the name of a children's game played by two people. After threading a pair of strings through two nuts, each takes turns trying to break the other's conker. Here is a fun video to show you what Conkers is all about! :) The Game of Conkers . If you would like to know more about these trees, Wiki has a very nice page here: Wiki: Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)

I love to find leaves that get caught on the way down to the ground, because they usually make really interesting pictures. When Steve and I went to the Palmerton Arboretum last week, we found lots of great leaf shots! This leaf was stuck in an evergreen bush covered with bright red berries! :)