If you look up into a tree and see an owl or a robin or even a crow, would that  surprise you?

If you saw my cat in a tree, you might not be surprised because cats like to climb trees, but my cat Blitzer spent more time in the trees than he did on the ground.

That always surprised me.

I’m never surprised to see a squirrel in a tree. What does surprise me is that they will chatter and throw things to get attention—I always give it to them, of course.

In Hawaii, banyan trees are viewed as gateways or dwelling places for spirits, ghosts, and mythical guardians. I grew up with that story, and for some reason, I thought this superstition applied to all trees.

As a result, I don’t hang around trees when I’m in a cemetery—you just never know.