Lightening Strike

Here is an American Sycamore that has been struck by lightening.

Leaning Bur Oak with Water Bowl?

On our hike Monday morning I noticed this leaning tree. Looking at debris around the tree I ID'ed it as a Bur Oak. It is the dominate tree of the forest and it is the only one that leans like this. As you look up the bole notice that the lean of the tree becomes more pronounced. This signifies the tree is shifting further as time progresses.

Could it be the ground is unstable. The bigger the tree gets the more precarious the tree becomes.


This photo shows a bowl that has grown on the root. It is as if the tree is trying to catch rain in the bowl to provide the tree with water.

Hawthorne Bud

Slippery Elm Buds

Slippery Elm (Ulmus fulva) buds.

American elm has smaller buds. Where I live along the Missouri river near Kansas and Missouri I don't run into Slippery elm often. At this time of year I want to search for these buds to come back and see these trees again.

Cottonwood Buds

Eastern Cottonwood buds taken 17-Feb-2012

Mourning Dove

Saw this Mourning Dove at lunch.

Catalpa Seed Pods

Flowering Dogwood Flower Buds

Winter View

Steped out of my office and got this shot before I took off from my truck. Using the trees to block the sun.

Here, my wife stops so I can take photo showing the different light at twilight/sunset.

U Turn

Found this unusual branch on an American Sycamore tree. But why would a branch grow out and then turn around? The white bark emphasizes this unusual growth.

Surtsey Island

I was reading Christian Nature and found this interesting article that can point to a young earth. The article linked here explains the process of beach formation was very quick.

Drizzle

Drizzle building up on our Crabapple tree.