Looking for Kelsey trees

Santini reminded me about Kelsey trees in one of her comments - the trees that refuse to accept the arrival of fall and insist that "it's still June." Since I'm sure it's autumn and it was a little brisk out, plus I needed a theme for another of my November blogs, I went in search of Kelsey trees. It didn't seem fair to include oaks, because they obstinately hold on to their leaves into January and some times longer. There are also a few buckthorn bush-trees that are actually still green, but they're widely acknowledged as junk trees (too messy and wildly invasive), so I excluded them, too. I set out for a walk to the east, getting as far as Dale Street and as far north as Lincoln. Along the way I encountered the remnants of Halloween, more than two weeks past. There were black, white and grey squirrels out feasting on the leftover jack o'lanterns that are still decorating peoples porches and front yards. I had a chance at a photo of one hungry squirrel in a "jack", but he vamoosed before I could get the shot off. Instead, I settled for a ghost still blowing in the wind somewhere on Lincoln. I bet this scared a few pre-schoolers on Halloween.

There were a lot of oaks on Linwood - a whole block of mostly pin oaks still hanging on to their leaves, and I also encountered a buckthorn in someone's backyard and still green with black berries. But I also found these two hardy tree of unknown species in someone's yard, I think on Goodrich. They look to be denying fall (autumn deniers), summer lovers, real Kelsey trees.

 Hence a couple of non-oak Kelsey trees.

There were also the oaks and I include just one example from a whole lot of them that are stubbornly holding to their leaves. Just because I like oak trees. This is apparently November's dress code for oaks.

I'm off soon for my Thursday night tennis gig at Wooddale. I'll see if I can come up with another theme for tomorrow's blog. November is just barely half gone.