I cannot help but stop and spend a little time with a tree that catches my eye. That was true of one particular tree I have known for some years, but which seems to grow more spectacular as it ages. This one is not too far from the Conemaugh River in northern Westmoreland County. Besides the gnarled wood and rich texture and color in the leaves, the truck is splitting open but also appears to hug the ground. I like the spacing of the branches that allow a view into the tree trunk. I took this photo late in the day as the sun was setting. The tone was slightly modified to bring out the rich details. It is not uncommon for trees that have either grown isolated or had the surrounding forest cleared away by agriculture to grow into eccentric individuals. I have more images of this tree to post later. Click on the image to enlarge.
The leaves here have turned, briefly filled the hills and valleys with color and then dropped to the ground. Before that happened, however, I managed to get out to Conemaugh Reservoir near where I live in western Pennsylvania and take a few pictures. Every year the trees react differently and it is hard to predict how colorful the leaves will be. This year, the leave stuck around a little bit longer and were beautiful in certain places, particularly near sundown. These are the first of a series of photos. Click on the images to enlarge.