Too Hot

Here at the frontiers of the land
It is no wonder the trees catch fire
In the still noon.

The aspens aspire;
The fluted columns of the spruce,
The coal-and-sunlight colored Ponderosa,
Swim up toward the seething of the sun:
They carry in motion
The vistas and perspectives of solitude
Through the flung architecture
Of sunlight-flecked and darkening
Green silence on the blue.


from Noon Fire, by Scott Greer


It was uncomfortably hot and muggy, the kind of day where I needed to leave the house by 5:00 if I wanted to really enjoy a hike. Instead I found myself in the car running errands right in the middle of the day. Looking around for any place I might discover a photo I ended up on the edge of a field I rarely visit, since there really isn't any hike nearby. I took one photo (in the extras) and went home to drink lemonade on the porch. I played around with the photo to make it more interesting and started to get this fire effect, so I ran with it.

Upon reflection I realized I had posted a photo from this location once before -- right after it had been subject to a controlled burn. Go figure.

Bonus track (couldn't help myself)