Twisted Giant

For the record, I will say right up front that this guest image was taken by son Tim.  I think it is such a stunning picture that I'm breaking the rules and publishing it with full disclosure. I think part of why I like it so much is that it is so much a part of what he loves...rambling around in the regional parks near where he lives looking for salamanders with Owen, riding his bike with the dog, or fishing in the creek for tardigrades with Maya and her friend.  He's an analytical chemist which seems to have honed his interest not only in the great outdoors but in poking around in overlooked cracks and crevices....

When I asked him if I could use the tree picture, he said...'Feel free. Pretty awesome tree in El Sobrante. About two miles from Kennedy Grove. It pays to leave the trail and follow the deer....' I had to reply that, 'Dad can probably still do it, but I think I'm past following the deer....'

There is definitely a tension in this photo as it looks like the very large branch on the lower left has cracked off at the trunk and is precariously balanced on the little branches beneath it. I looks pretty good in mono, but I like it better just as he sent it to me and didn't want to mess with his beautiful image, so no Mono Monday entry today.

We are having quite a spectacular day here, weatherwise. Apparently there is a low pressure area moving down from Alaska, and the temperature  presages snow. It is difficult to calculate one's dashes outside for the newspaper or the mail or to walk Ozzie or dig in the dirt.  Ozzie and I walked out the door in brilliant sunshine and got as far as the creek, and had to dash back to the house in pouring rain. OilMan had to take refuge in his garden shed as the it hailed briefly while he was covering the citrus trees against the frost.

There may be some snow on Hood Mountain tonight....