Sun sets on 2013

It looks like the trees are on fire. I hope the sunset on your year is as beautiful and safe as this sunset. See you next year!

Ice

There's no doubt that the ice storm was dangerous. It was also beautiful.

Merry Christmas

Ice ice baby

The Japanese Maple looks lovely in her ice cloak, don't you think?

City Dwellers...

Taken last Sunday as I traveled into downtown from burbville.

City Dwellers!

I'm taking the next week to be with family and friends.

Partake of the groaning board. 

Settle by the fire. Dream.

See you after we all ring in the New Year.

Happy New Year to you all!

Just before dark...

 

As you can see from the roof line to the left, this tree is enormous. So cheerful in all its red and gold finery, with thousands of white twinkle lights. 

Just before dark. 

And a happy Winter Solstice to you all!

Taste the sweetness

The snow plow driver slowed down to see what I was risking life and limb to take a picture of. He gave me a big thumbs up and a bigger smile. I love this tree.

Twisted

There's a whole grove of these lovely trees on Ocracoke Island in the Outer Banks.  I could stare at them for hours.  Don't you just love the twisty trunks?

I'd rather be an evergreen...

 

In winter.

I'm thinking. 

I'd rather be an evergreen. 

Just sayin'. 

Sunday!

Tree of Whimsy...

 

I couldn't help myself. 

We visited the Toronto Christmas Market down at The Distillery District this past week. In one of the stores we stepped into to get out of the fah-reezing temps, I saw this. I had lust in my heart for each and every one of these ornaments. Seriously. 

But isn't that part of the fun? Enjoying it and then walking away? 

Located in the GTA? Market is still on Saturday and Sunday. 

You want to click that bigger.

Saturday!

 

Electric

I love the shadows reaching deep into the ground.  It reminds me of a Tesla experiment.

Caught out

The Japanese Maple still had most of its leaves when the snow fell

Tree Fingers...

Taken at Gatineau Park, Quebec in October of 2011. One of my favorite spots.

If you've never been to Gatineau Park, you must put it on your list. 

Tree fingers.

Sunday!

Turning...

 

This is a big tree. A verra big tree. Trust me on this. 

It's a weeping tree. I've never seen one turning before. 

You'll want to click it bigger. 

Turning. 

Saturday!

Treeotica

This is David.

He is playing a tree branch as a musical instrument.  I heard a flute, a tree frog, a synthesizer, a drum and a steel guitar all come from that lovely piece of tree. 

It was the most incredible, amazing, spiritual experience.  I spoke with him after his performance.  He talked about the healing nature of trees, that he'd taken some branches inside his house and hung them to remind himself of how those qualities. One day he bumped into a branch and noticed its tone. So then he tapped on another branch and it had a different tone. The music naturally came from the branches. A creative man, he found a way to wire it up and share that sound with others. I've been ignoring the picture aspect and simply  listening to the videos for days.

What do you think?

Gallery tree

This tree lives inside an art gallery. I think that explains the way the trunk and branches seem to be in constant movement.

After the Fall...

After the fall.

Sunday!

Old Glory...

I have a fascination for tree trunks.

This one is massive. 

So many stories.

Saturday!

Yellow

Not a drop of red in this shot but I really liked the yellow draped all across this shot. 

Recurring theme

Look at the gorgeous leaves and the sweep of red skirt

Love it!

Touch of red

I like the outlining on the leaves. An interesting choice, Mother Nature

 

You can't tell but it's pouring rain as I snap this picture

The long view...

This is a companion shot to Saturday's Misty.

Come dusk, I expect to see a wood sprite.

Go on. Click it bigger. 

Sunday!

Misty...

I love the misty look of this... one of my fave spots.

It calms me.

Saturday!

Indiana caution

I was looking through my Indiana photos, partly because the idea of living surrounded by trees is my idea of heaven, when I came across this tree using an old dead branch to reach for the chimney.  That's self-protective.

Dunfermline Abbey

My great-aunt and I were talking about Dunfermline Abbey today. I have a giant black and white photograph of it on my wall that my great-grandfather brought over with him many years ago.  Robert the Bruce is buried there.

My great-aunt asked if I'd taken any photographs of the Abbey when I visited a few years ago. I told her about trying to recreate the professional photograph but no matter what angle I went at it from a tree always stood in my way.  A tree. How wonderful.  Given its height, I'd say it's quite an old tree. The original is from  <a href="http://www.theglasgowstory.com/image.php?inum=TGSE01031">Maclure, MacDonald & Co. Galsgow</a>.  I'm not sure of the date.


The following is mine.  Taken in 2009

In Living Color...

I love the lifesaver standing close by.

Sunday!

Compensating...

 

I saw this tree on one of my rambles. 

It looked like it was compensating for the lack of leaves on top. 

Just sayin'. 

Let the Saturday games begin.

November rain

 

The wind and rain were beating on this stately Pine but it held its ground.  Many a battle was fought at the foot of its ancestors so it knows not to flinch.

Old row

 

Mid-November and leaves continue to cling to many of the trees in Queenston.

All-seeing eye

I really liked the way I could see the background leaves through the hole in the trunk

Trees on a raft...

Trees on a raft...

Gliding along in the water somewhere off the coast of Maine.

Oh, that was me.

I thought it was them!

Sunday comes along.

Tree Immersion...

What's not to love about Coastal Maine?

Somewhere off the coast of Bar Harbor.

Beauty everywhere you looked.

Saturday!

Balls of red and orange

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this a type of rowan or mountain ash? I'm used to them in tree not bush form, but I really liked this one, regardless.

Golden Days

 

I just love the sun through the leaves.  The air was crisp and and the leaves brittle but all in all, lovely.

Maple lights

The way these whirligigs are illuminated by the late afternoon sun captured my attention for a good 10 minutes or so on my walk home.

I've been away from thinking about trees for a while. The past six months have involved lots of changes for me---rather like the changes a tree might have to go through in the spring if it were replanted in a new location the previous fall. Even if the new location is a better one, on higher ground with less flooding, with more sunlight, and lots of room to grow, there's a lot to adapt to, and sinking down new roots requires a lot of work.

Of course, a tree doesn't have to move itself or have to figure out the logistics of moving. Heh.

This fall finds me in a new state working at a new job that I'm much better suited for. I'm so happy with the changes I've made. Still, lots of changes. Lots of adapting.

In my new town, I'm surrounded by oodles of magnificent trees, both large and small. They're impossible to ignore, especially in all their glorious fall colors. They also deserve to be shared, and I shall do my best on that over the next several months.

Perspective...

From where I stood, that tree looked like it was growing right out of the roof shingles.

Perspective.

Good Sunday!

Leaf Extensions...

And the wind came roaring through on November 1, and -- poof -- these leaves are gone.

But they were spooktacular before that.

Leaf extensions.

Good Saturday!

Colourburst

Autumn at her finest. I kept staring out the window at this tree. Eventually, I ventured out into the rain to snap the photo on my phone. It was too beautiful to leave behind.  I wish I'd had my actual camera so you could see how sharp the delineation between colours.

Spooky

Happy Halloween, all.  This tree has gotten into the spirit.   He'd be scarier if he was surrounded by more of his kind but he's doing his best.

Sentinel

This beauty stands at the top of the hill overlooking the valley. 

Pretty Woman...

This pretty woman is courtesy of Michigander Sister. It was taken yesterday in her backyard.

Sunday is in the house.

Bent...

I love this so much.

That is all.

A good Saturday to you all.

Path

It looks like the path goes right up the tree.  I can almost imagine a hobbit stepping out through a door down on the right.

Caged Pears

Theresa and I were walking through Jordan village and she suggested we keep walking.  And this was why

Painted red

We haven't had a frost yet.  That's affected our colour. Case in point -

Directionally challenged...

 

This way.

No. This way.

That way. 

No. That way. 

Directional tree is directionally challenged. 

Sunday!

A little splash...

I just needed a little splash of colour.

Ya know?

Good Saturday to you all. 

Roots

These sunken roots are reaching up from beneath the earth. Can you tell Halloween is in the near future?