Heros All in Everyday Ramblings

This is a star magnolia in front of Mrs. Sherlock’s place. She planted it herself and for years she has been calling it a tulip tree. I was always saying…you mean a magnolia…in what I now understand was an annoying way.

Back last month when we started talking trees I ordered a great book but also this laminated folding identification card that came from a used bookstore across the country. She has mentioned that instead of hiking with a book this was more what she needed for tree identification.

The card came a few days ago.

After she picked me up yesterday and we found a parking spot over in her part of town (no mean feat) I gave it to her and we immediately launched into this crazy old lady bout of street tree identification.

We figured out a group of lindens and a young dogwood and confirmed some sweet gums and maples as we walked and talked and looked at the massive reservoir renovation going on at the reservoir where my water comes from.

Coming back we came upon a towering tulip tree.

I was pointing out the unique unmistakable shape of the leaves, showing her pictures on my phone, we were trying not to block pedestrian traffic but I won’t say we weren’t being a tiny bit obstructionist with Frida between us.

When we got back to her place to have lunch we got out of her car and she was like here is my tulip tree and I am no no no, let’s find out what it is and I uploaded this picture to iNaturalist and the third suggestion down was star magnolia and she looked at the picture of the flower and said, oh gosh, that is what it is.

Then she took me over and introduced me to a small tree that she said was a peanut butter tree. She had me rub a leaf and it absolutely smelled like peanut butter. It is not a native, but is a clerodendrum trichotomum and apparently there are a number in the neighborhood.

I had never heard of them before but I do recognize the unusual flowers that are this rubbery looking red with a blue center.

So now I know. After a lovely lunch we all (including Frida and Mr. Sherlock) went out into the garden and in a wistful way as she is preparing herself to leave the garden she has nurtured for 44 years she pointed out the large tree that towers over their back porch and said she wasn’t sure what it was.

Mr. Sherlock (who quizzed me on metrical poetry like he enjoys doing) went back in and got a handful of tree books he has had for years and we spent a hysterical hour trying to convince ourselves we knew what kind of tree it was.

He was totally chuffed because he figured it out and we gave him the win. It is a California walnut. It doesn’t produce actual walnuts but is more ornamental.

This is like when I discovered birds. But the great thing is that trees don’t fly away so if you are persistent and curious you can get close in terms of identification.

We did talk about birds too because there was a small hawk in one of the trees. Mr. Sherlock was counting on bird knowledge from a long time ago and he kept telling me he thought it was a buzzard and I was saying no it is an accipiter.

It turns out his definition of a buzzard is a raptor in the buteo family and they are closely related to red-tailed hawks and we have a lot of them here.

Now you might not think that sitting in the garden at a table piled with books about trees after a lunch of green curry, tomatoes and mozzarella and watermelon to finish is your idea of fun but I really enjoyed it.

I was so shocked by the death of Jeffrey Epstein in custody, which was a major distraction from all the horrible gun violence last week and so having this grounded goofy afternoon with good people I adore was healing on many levels.

My upmost gratitude goes out to all those brave people before me that fought for a standardized workweek and a full two day weekend!

Heroes all.

Last updated August 12, 2019