Day 104: Crepe Myrtle

From our bedroom window, we have a great view of the crepe myrtle tree in the small landscaping well outside of our townhouse.  A series of these trees lines our row of townhouses on both sides of the driveway, and the brilliant pink blooms provide a wonderful splash of colour throughout our small complex:

One of the most unique features of these trees is the bark, which is very smooth and sheds in thin layers during the course of the year:

As with the oleanders that line many of the highways in this part of California, these crepe myrtles have become emblematic for me of Sacramento and serve as a representative icon of our home here in the state capital.