I have always loved California Buckeye Trees and the tremendous changes I saw in each season. For me, they are a classic part of the beauty of California. I kept seeing a perfect example of one at the top of a hill as I drove by, so one day I decided to figure out how to get to this tree. I pulled over and discovered a freshly plowed road that led to a gate into the open space where this tree was. What a fun discovery! The first photograph I took was the winter tree. Looking at the photograph, I was so impressed with the beauty of this tree, so I went back each season. For the summer photograph, the "road" had not been plowed, and it had disappeared. You are not supposed to walk where you can't see the ground in California because of rattlesnakes, but I wanted my photograph! I walked very slowly and carefully, listening for the warning of a rattle. The warning never came, and I got my photograph! This tree is unusual since the "spring" begins in November when new buds and leaves first appear rather than flowers. Huge plumes of flowers show up later. Summer is "fall" for the California Buckeye to protect it from the hot summers with little water. Mixed in with the beautiful fall colors are the buckeyes. The skin peels, releasing the beautiful mahogany buckeyes that then sprout into a new tree. Teresa Peters
