Palm trees

[jebbypal]

So far, the places I've been happiest these past few years have all had palm trees. Which has gotten me to thinking about the first time I saw them.

See, I grew up in land locked and very non tropical Oklahoma. TV was, of course, my first exposure to palm trees. So yes, I knew in theory where they were located and all that. Still, they seemed slightly cheesy and like something you'd only see at a cheap used car lot unless you actually travelled to California, Florida, or the tropics.

So it was a big surprise when I went to a friend's wedding in Houston and there were palm trees. Granted, most were decorative and probably very specially cared for, but they weren't at used car lots. I was very disconcerted and never really got over that feeling to appreciate them.

The second time was obviously my trip to San Francisco. I appreciated them a bit more and was suitably impressed and they appealed to me, but I was again too busy adjusting to the landscape of barren hills, silent redwood forests, and everything else that I hadn't quite expected to truly appreciate them. Plus, the sight of Monterey Bay which was my true first exposure to the ocean on a non-protected and calm bay. Big waves crashing on rocks, definitely the highlight of the weekend right below meeting azuremonkey for the first time and getting to hang out again with poisontaster and sixersfan.

The third time I saw palm trees, I was in South Carolina and specifically on Kiawah Island. I think this is when I started to fall in love. They were everywhere, they were plentiful, there were noisy insects and birds (sorry, azuremonkey, I still hold that any gathering of trees without insects is just wrong), and GREEN everywhere. This was when I started to ken to the fact that my mind needs lots of green + adequate sunshine to be in the right place. It was also the first time that I really regretted not having a decent digital camera (yes, took along a normal one, but never really carried it anywhere. Not much of a photo person generally).

San Diego was altogether different since most of the trees were just palm trees. But there were more than San Francisco and something else imperceptible appealed to me about that city.

Anyway, that's my random post for the day.

Comments

[halcyon-shift.livejournal.com]

I also have taken a while to come around to the palm side of the tree. In my head they've been irrevocably linked with Torquay. Which. Well, they've done a lot of work and it almost never sucks the life from the unwary anymore.

But! The house we want to move to has a palm tree! (relevence comes to those who wait). It's just one, and it leans a little. And it looks kind of unimpressed in a "Yeah, I'm a palm tree. WHAT?" kind of way. We're going to grow on each other. Not literally.

And thank you for the beta notes! I'll throw those thefourthvine's way :)

[jebbypal]

If I may ask, what's Torquay? (I'm being google lazy today).

Hopefully the palm tree will protect your computers from the evil whatevers that have been harrassing you. Right? I mean, it has to be a special palm tree to survive in England through the winters, no? Or do I have the wrong perception that all of England is mostly cloudy like Seattle?

[halcyon-shift.livejournal.com]

Torquay, along with a few other places in the vicinity, would be The English Riviera. It was massive during the Victorian era for sea-side fun. Some Victorians may still be living there. It kind of didn't make it out of the fifties.

But in the last few years they've given it a hella overhaul, so it's a bit more bearable. Unfortunately, they're adding a Casino soon and that might make it into a bit of a dive.

Southern England - Devon and especially Cornwall - are warmer than the rest of the country as a rule. Last few summers we've given Hawaii a run for its money, temperature wise.

[jebbypal]

Ahh yes, well most of all I know of England is through historical readings, all of which would have been during the Little Ice Age.


Hmm, palm trees. If I ever tackle the ev0l transatlantic flight, might just have to pay your leaning palm tree a visit. :)

[halcyon-shift.livejournal.com]

Heeeee, that would be awesome. We'd have a waterfall* too. So, you know. Come for the palm tree, stay for the waterfall*.

*

[jebbypal]

Can't wait to see what the cat makes of that. Will be interesting to see her try to climb the waterfall even if I miss seeing her try to walk on the ceiling.

[halcyon-shift.livejournal.com]

We're figuring one of three things will happen to the cat - she'll be eaten by a sheep, she will eat a sheep, she'll take one look at the river* at the bottom of the garden and never leave the house ever again. Or possibly go back to Exeter and move in with whoever buys our house.

* No, no hyperbole, it's a river