Red Sky At Night

I caught this sunset a couple evenings ago, on the way home. I was running late and wanted to hurry home and get dinner started, so I didn't get to really get out and take a lot of pictures.

No pretty sunsets or sunrises lately, though. It's just drab and grey and soggy. There has been a lot of flooding in Roane and Jackson counties, and water was right up to the road in places on my way home. Yuck.

Black Walnut Tree

This is the black walnut tree in my back yard. The nuts have already fallen, and oddly enough -- they're not black. They look sort of like hard limes. The outer covering falls off and the nut inside is black, the hull oozing with an inky blackish-brown substance that stains the skin (and everything else) brownish-yellow. People used to make everything from wood stain to hair dye using this walnut ink. You can still buy the ink in places, but it's crazy expensive. I would love to learn how to make it, myself.

Renegade Apple Tree

We have this apple tree in the back yard, about eye-level with my favorite reading spot on the back porch. I love this tree. It's gorgeous in the spring, when the tree is covered in fragile blooms, and in the fall when the apples set on.

The tree is a survivor. It got hit by lightning years ago, splitting it in half. My husband cinched it together with a tow strap until we could see if the tree would live or die, and it surprised us all by hanging in there. It's been about 5 years, and the tree is still surprising us by flourishing every season.

Unfortunately, half the tree died last year. Mike let go the tow strap, expecting the entire tree to fall over, but the dead half is all that came down, despite the fact that the rest of the tree is leaning precariously. He wanted to cut the tree down, but I couldn't bear to see that happen after the tree has fought so hard to stay alive through all of this. He met me halfway by saying he would wait to see if the tree fell over with the weight of the apples, and it hasn't. The bottom of the trunk is horribly scarred and splintered from the lightning, but it appears to be just as tough as a tree can be. Every time I think it's the end for apple blossoms and ripe red fruit, it surprises me just by being alive.

Twisted Branches

This is an old one, but I like it. I think I posted it before, but in color.

Beautiful Nature

I have no idea what kind of bird this feather came from, but it was about as long as my forearm and shiny, like satin. It was a huge feather!

Tree Shadows on Ice

It was still ice on Saturday. I think it's melted by now, though. Come on, Spring!!!

moon

Oh ballbreaking moon and ridiculing stars;
The older I get, the closer
you are.
Don't you have somewhere that you need to be,
Instead of
hanging here making a fool of me?

(Sheryl Crow -- The Difficult Kind)

Not a great photo, but hey... it's something. :)

Sunrise, Sunset...

I caught this gorgeous sunset over Spencer, WV Friday on the way home from work. This is the same vantage point that I caught another gorgeous sunset (here.) The sky has been doing some interesting things this week!!! Of course, most of the time, I don't have my camera. When am I going to learn? Opportunity is not a lengthy visitor.