Canopy ahead
August is no slouch when it comes to special effects, you just gotta hunt for them.
Trees will make use of light, and have fun doing it! (There’s photosynthesis, too, I know.)
Bud has stirred and his ears have perked. He says, “Meow! I can help you hunt, just let me out the door. We’ll climb those trees together. I’ll suss out your greens, I’m good at seeing greens and blues. I’ll lead you to the best views. I’ll eat up squirrels and birds. Deal?”
“I can’t be party to that bit about squirrels and especially birds.”
Only one speck of orange so far. Very funny, lingering hot summer! (Kidding! The orange leaf is from last year, leaves aren’t turning here yet.)
“Shoot, girl, you know those raccoons and squirrels and rats are the ones who climb up and eat the birds’ eggs. Hawks, too, they snatch small birds right out of the air. They’re all out there, I smell them, I hear them. I’ll eat ’em up, the rodents, that is. Meow.”
Where are we? Everything looks so big!
“I know that about the other predators! Cats don’t actually make much difference in bird populations. Even with our forest predators we have plenty of birds, as you no doubt sense every day. But you’re 15 years old, and I’m well, you know … ”
Bud is an indoor cat, actually
“Ha, look at what a smooth, muscular jaguar I am!”
“You are that.”
Pine goes frothy in the bright sky
“C’mon, I could so grip that gnarly-barked pine tree. Or even that sweetgum. Major traction. Perfect climbing trees.”
A short ways from our usual spot, and even higher up, pine glitters
“I know you scent the coyotes and ticks and mosquitoes in the forest. Not safe out there for you, kitten, nice try, though.”
“What!?! Rawr!!”
That’s oak with the pine.
“I meant, nothing is safe from you out there. You’re a wildcat! Hunt down an indoor sunny spot and pounce on it. Go to sleep while I bag the pictures. Deal?”
“Well then, purrrr.”
Top of a tulip tree
It takes a really sunny sky to get enough light on those pine needles to make them stand out. They’re probably over-exposed according to good photographic practice. But I’m looking for things that feel like drawings and paintings. Some of my old drawings were based on pine-like, shining lines. The forest is dense, trees jammed together, so the pine sprays across other leaves, and across the sky, in pictures. These pics need photo editing but there’s no time.
Sweetgum’s a star in itself!
So many aerial pathways to scout …
Always a pleasure
The main source of most scenes here.
Big picture view of endless configurations.
It takes the camera to sort some of these colors
Feast in the foliage
A still sky runs deep
Endless, glorious, trees
Likely overexposed, but I can’t resist that glitter!!
My Editing Cat is waking, so I’d best post before he sees he only has one portrait in this … Summer is not done with us yet. The light has turned fall-golden, but leaves remain green at this date. Even if that changes we’ll be back on a different note, but still using summer shots. Don’t know when. I never do!
I live near a creek in a forest, in close observation and awe of the wildlife outside, as well as the domestic cats and dog of the household. I'm writer Leah Alford. For more information, click the "About" button above.