Sketches

I wrote about Campo Seco and the Adams Building ruins a couple of posts back. These small towns and landmarks dot the landscape in this area and seem like a quintessential California gold rush type of thing. They have a wider meaning and appeal than just that though. History is built in layers, one event or thing on top of another. People live here and work here still and are surrounded by the history of the place. To me, it feels like the merging and layering of old and new.

I did a quick color sketch of the oak trees in my front yard. I have been watching since August for the changing colors in the oak leaves. It seems like August through September was the time of greatest color: brilliant oranges and reds and browns. I found a fun page for younger children regarding why leaves change color and how the different chemicals in the leaves can produce different hues. The explanation is here. I think we have two types of trees in our yard, live oaks and valley oaks. I am just speaking broadly here. The ones in the front lose their leaves each winter and we have several in the back and on the side which don't. I found a good, if not a little confusing, site here explaining the different types of oaks (and why there is confusion).

Libby