Debbie's Christmas Tree

There is a family story behind this pine tree growing in Steckel Park, outside Santa Paula. Many years ago Debbie brought home a little Christmas Tree from work, it was a few inches high, as time went on the tree got bigger and bigger and dad replanted it to an outside planter and it grew and grew. It soon was outgrowing the planter with nowhere to go. About that time there was a severe fire between Ojai and Santa Paula (about 20 years ago) and it burned out quite a bit of Steckel Park. Dad then took the pine tree to Steckel Park and planted it there. I had not been there to look at it in many years, Travis and I went there today and snapped this picture. Debbie, your little tree sure makes a big impression now!!

Below are some other pictures from today, we went on up to Rose Valley where Travis read at a a stop we made at the Sespe trail head (left) the little creek coming down at the side of the road (middle left) the falls above the Rose Valley lakes was almost dry (middle right) the big, amazing boulders in the mountains at Sespe creekhead (right).