Fall Color

Some of our most colorful fall trees are these imports from China.

Pistacia chinensis

  In English: Chinese Pistache 

In  Chinese: 黄连木

Some of the city planners for Shasta Lake City,

used grant funds to create the most beautiful

interchange/exit landscapes in our area.

Nothing in nearby Redding (a much larger town)

matches the colorful landscape of this towns two exits.

Way to go SLC.

You have not noticed, that I took these photos while driving.

ahem...

OK, then.

Here's some color shots 

 taken from the parking lot of

  the Rehab hospital that

we've been visiting for the past couple

of months.

My father in law is there

recovering from gall bladder

surgery.  He's 86 now,

a WWII veteran.

He participated in the D~day

landing on the beaches of Normandy.

Day # 3,  I think.

It's sad being there ~ seeing patients

  who obviously won't be going home.

Spending the autumn years of their lives in a place

that I hope to never be.

We're thankful this season

that we do get to see him come home.

Back to his usual seat at the Senior Center.

Back to painting  Christmas villages

with his unsteady hands.

Back to his salty language

that he has no interest in curbing.

 (smile)

And back into our grateful hugs.

Welcome home soon Dad.