This old recycled article is offensive enough to perhaps qualify for the ‘Horridculture’ meme for Wednesdays. (I still do not know when I can resume writing new articles.)
Small Tree In A Big Park
This is an old article about the beginning of the the Memorial Tree, that I have so commonly written about since then.
Big Tree In A Small Town
I like to think that some of the trees that get planted now will be appreciated for decades afterward, and that a few might be appreciated for a century or more.
Six on Saturday: Pompeii
The CZU Lightning Complex Fire got no closer than a mile and a half from here. Except for the ash and the aroma of smoke, there is not much evidence of a fire. The burn zone is within view from here, but the forest is just as green as it was prior to evacuation. I received news while away that smoking debris was falling from the sky here, so did not know what to expect when we returned. So many neighbors were not as fortunate.
1. Fire roasted leaves blew in from the fire. Some were still smoking as they fell. These are two madrone leaves at the top, three tanoak leaves at the bottom, and redwood below the middle.
2. Ash is everywhere! I left on the day prior to the yet unforeseen evacuation, with the intention of returning later, so left windows open. It now smells like a barbecued bacon burger in here.
3. Summer squash survived days of warm weather without irrigation. This was the worst of the wilt. There was nothing ‘ini’ about the ‘zucchini’. They looked like a herd of green dachshunds.
4. Pole beans were in reasonably good condition as well. They recovered rather efficiently after getting irrigated. The few beans that started to wilt and dry were just plucked and discarded.
5. Boxelder are suspiciously defoliating prematurely under a smoky orange sky. I do not know if it is associated with the smoke or the weather, but I doubt that President Trump is involved.
6. Blue gum that is still confined to a #15 can did not wilt any more than the summer squash or pole beans. I am impressed! It must have rooted into the ground below the bottom of the can.
This is the link for Six on Saturday, for anyone else who would like to participate: https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/six-on-saturday-a-participant-guide/
War Of The Worlds
‘Horridculture’ meme, which normally posts on Wednesdays, will be postponed while I am unable to compose new content. I will continue to recycle old articles until my schedule allows me to write new articles.
Blue Ribbon
This will be the first year in which I will not compete in the Jam & Jelly Competition at the Santa Cruz Mountains Harvest Festival. With all that has been happening (and preventing me from writing) I have been unable to cook any jelly and jam. Besides, there will be no Harvest Festival this year. Such crowds are not allowed; and Boulder Creek is only beginning to recover from the CZU Lightning Complex Fire.
via Blue Ribbon
What Is Killing The Box Elders?
Most of the box elders that died back when this article posted are rotting on the ground by now. Those that survived are doing will (although presently defoliating very prematurely because of the weather). Necrosis has been minimal for quite a while. Nature can be confusing.
Six on Saturday: Urban Flight
The CZU Lightning Complex Fire continues to burn. Consequently, I had been unable to return home until just a few hours ago. My garden survived the abandonment better than expected. I will get pictures for next week. These pictures are from where I was in the Santa Clara Valley. I noticed a few features that I forgot that I disliked about urban situations. Of course, Rhody found something to appreciate about our situation there. He was in no hurry to return home.
1. Breeze in the silver maple should be appreciated on a warm day. While the fires are burning in the Santa Cruz Mountains just several miles away, an absence of breeze would be preferred.
2. Raindrops should likewise be appreciated. Unfortunately, there were no more than a few, and certainly not enough to slow a fire. They only indicated that more dry lightning was possible.
3. Smoke was thicker over the Santa Clara Valley than I can ever remember. All those utility cables crowded by too many trees are normal though. I thought this picture was rather artistic.
4. Fences are a bother too. This one shades lower branches of a nearby pear tree, that grew up with a shorter slat fence. The neighbor’s garage shows how close the homes are to each other.
5. Soil is fortunately as awesome as it has always been in the Santa Clara Valley. It is unfortunate that so few of the more than a million who live here now will never bother to experience it.
6. Rhody expressed his opinion of my request that he stay off of the sofa while here. Does the floral pattern of the upholstery qualify this as a horticultural subject? We all want to see Rhody! 
This is the link for Six on Saturday, for anyone else who would like to participate:
https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/six-on-saturday-a-participant-guide/
Automotive Horticulture
This most certainly fits into the ‘Horridcutlure’ theme! Things used to be so much simpler!
Felony Garden
I believe that the Statute of Limitations applies here.
via Felony Garden
Tony Tomeo 