About yesterday's post: There have been black bears around the house before, but we haven't seen tracks for several years. Then my husband and Samson saw tracks in two different places in the past few weeks, so I was just curious, hoping to see tracks without bear.
Today's treasure grows everywhere in the canyon and I may have written about these trees in more detail earlier. Yesterday, I noticed this beautiful juniper full of huge, bright blue cones. So this will be my treasure for today.
Juniper berries are an attraction for both bears and coyotes. As you will see in my photos, there is an abundance of these hardy trees here in the canyon, most of them several hundred years old. Juniper trees are interesting: Although they look like bushes, they are trees; and their cones, which look like berries, are tiny cones in pretty blue covers.
Angel and I came upon this tree full of cones on our walk yesterday. We got a lot of rain last winter and the junipers perked up and turned from dusty greens to more vibrant colors. And as we saw here, the cones are huge and very healthy looking this year.
It was 16 F here this morning. I'm so excited that winter is on its way!
Inger...those look like marshmallow's :P
ReplyDeletewow! 16! those bears will be looking to eat all they can - quickly!
ReplyDeleteI love to see juniper berries and oh the smell of them, love it. We have something similar here called crow berries that the bears love to eat too.
ReplyDeleteSure is a lot of berries/cones! Maybe what the bear was checking around for? Pretty trees!
ReplyDelete16! I would guess winter is definitely around, BRrrrrr!
Me too. Are we crazy? I was so happy to see spring arrive and now I can't wait for winter. Tiz here in Montana, too. I have jumipers and a large cedar at the ranch and the pine beetles obviously didn't like them. But they sure gobbled up all the pines.
ReplyDeleteThe trees are so lush & gorgeous. Remember, Inger--bears & bogeymen are 2 things best seen AT A DISTANCE!
ReplyDeleteI do love the smell of juniper berries.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have anything like that. Wish I could smell them.
ReplyDeleteThat tree is just loaded with berries!
ReplyDeleteThat is nice! I bet that would be wonderful in a Christmas wreath... Just a guess.
ReplyDeleteCat
Cat: These are pretty mean spirited trees that can injury you if you mess with them, but I agree, a wreath would be very pretty. Maybe I will try.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the rest of your comments and I seriously hope I have not tempted fate with all this bear stuff. I really would not want to run into one.