Tree Bear

I skipped up to the canyon for a short walk before joining my friend at the movies.  We saw A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.  I liked it because I thought it had an inspirational storyline. It wasn't what she was expecting so I think she was disappointed.

The distinctive bark of the Alligator juniper is furrowed into checkered plates. You can probably see that better in the live tree on the left. Fragrant, dark blue-green, scale-like foliage and copper-colored fruit are other landscape characteristics. This evergreen grows to 48 ft. in height.  They are native to the mountains of Arizona, New Mexico and west Texas.  They grow as far south as as Oaxaca, Mexico. 

Alligator Juniper is easily recognized by its distinctive bark. One of the largest junipers, it is used for fuel and fence posts. New sprouts often appear at the base of cut stumps. The large berries are consumed by birds and mammals. Large trees often have a partially dead crown of grotesque appearance with some branches that die and turn light gray instead of falling; other branches die only in a vertical strip and continue to grow on the other side.

This one looks like it died and the top was sawed off to prevent dead branches from falling on unwitting hikers  meanderers like me. It reminded me of a bear. And yay! the sun came out today  :-)