Monday, December 8, 2008

Odd Shots update--the palms that are not palms!

So it looks like I will be sending some Yakima Valley goodies to Portugal, as Sailor Girl is the first who is close to figuring out the puzzle.
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The fake trees are not plastic, though. They are cell towers, and for that reason I will also send some goodies to Jan, who was right on with the explanation shortly after her. The third and sixth photos in the original post are the fakes.
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I will need both of you to send me a snail mail address so I can send out your prize. You can click my e-mail in my profile to reach me.



So what do you think? Which would you rather have?
Of course, the cell tower palms would look pretty silly in our northern climes.

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To answer some of the thoughts and questions from the comments:
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Archie, I am not sure if palm trees are actually native to Arizona and Southern California, but they are very common in both areas. The climate is perfect for them there. A childhood friend of my mother grew dates in the Southern California desert for years. You always think of date palms as part of the oasis in the Middle East deserts--well, it was a real oasis there, too. Do you have palms in Australia?

*New info--I just learned on Jeopardy that palms are not native to Southern California. Los Angeles is limiting or banning (didn't catch which) new plantings of them for that reason and because they are disease prone and don't give much shade.*
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RuneE, I am wondering if you see palms once a year on Palm Sunday? Makes sense to me if you do. Do you also use pussy willow branches then as my daughter-in-law did in Siberia?
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I wouldn't have expected to see palms on the Isle of Mann, Babooshka, nor on Gabriola, Snapper. They both seem too far north to me. Do they do well?
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I don't think you have a deformed view, Gattina, but the fake trees look deformed to me.
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And yes, Jan, I do know where you live. In fact, some of the tree photos were taken not far from you in Riverside. We went to the Mission Inn for the lunch buffet. What a treat! The fakes were taken in Arizona--but I know you have some in your area, too.
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Cath, there are several varieties of palm trees, and some of them grow extremely tall. My brother was trying to tell me what variety they were, but then he decided that there might be more than one kind that grows so tall. The picture taken through the back windscreen (the last one with the horizontal lines) intrigues me. Just wondering how old those trees are and if they planned for short ones on one side of the road and tall ones lining the other. That one and the other with the trees lining the road were taken in Riverside, California. Many of the streets there are lined with palms like that, and so are some in other areas of Southern California. (That's why Jan is tired of them.)
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Well, Vicki, like I said, there are different varieties. Do you have them lining the streets in some Florida cities like they do in Riverside?

6 comments:

dixymiss said...

I thought some of them looked unnatural, but didn't figure out the puzzle. Fun quiz! Looks like you were blessed with beautiful weather for your travels. It's coooold and grey here. What I wouldn't give for a palm tree on my horizon right about now....

No odd shot from me today, but I hope to join the fun again soon!

Leon1234 said...

Great blog!

Rune Eide said...

You would have fooled me - as a matter of fact, you did.

PS I see palms in places like Spain and Greece...

holly said...

i would rather have the palms, because i need a good regular giggle in the mornings, and seeing this on the way to work would probide that improtant "life is a bit silly" reminder.

god i hope that made sense. tomorrow i'll probably wish i'd waited to the morning to comment. who are you? who am i?


peac out, sleeping now.

v said...

Wow ... You sound so strict. And, I don't come across blogs like this very often. I like yours.

Raquel Sabino Pereira said...

We have SO MANY palm trees in Portugal that it was an easy guess... LOOOOLLLL!!!! Thank you for the prize!!!