The pitchfork tree

To see this photo in a larger size, click here.

In the courtyard outside the Southwark Register Offices and Nationality Services in London where our friends were married, was this intriguing tree that reminded me of a pitchfork reaching skyward. Naturally, I had to snap off a few pictures. I like the framing and mood on this one, even though it makes it difficult to see the cool-looking mottled texture of the bark.

Wordless Wednesday: Storm Damage

I know this is supposed to be wordless, but I can't help myself.

With all this wild weather we've been having in the Midwest, a tree falling in our backyard seems very trivial.

Amazingly, both my husband and I watched this tree come down. We were looking out the back window watching the trees sway furiously in the wind during a storm, then heard a giant "crack" and watched the top of the tree fall off. Fortunately, it landed in the center of the yard and didn't damage anything, although it was inches from one of my new rose bushes.

When the weather cleared about 30 minutes later, we borrowed a chain saw and quickly had the tree to the curb for collection by the village.

If you look at the bottom photo, you can see where the tree cracked. It's way at the top of the photo, about 20 feet up the tree trunk.