Red Elm Under November Skies

It was my only visit to the Arboretum this week, and I was rewarded with some amazing breaking light. The sky was the color of a blueberry bruise, dark and ominous, like it sometimes gets in November.

A squirrel with a huge nut in its mouth climbed a tree. I followed some crows through the poplars and over to the lily pond, where they refreshed themselves with a drink, then disappeared, cawing loudly, into the sky.

I played with some of the toys in the Glass House at the children's garden. Took pictures, of course. And on my way back to the parking lot, I stopped by to say hello to the Arboretum's famous red elm. Good morning, big tree!

The soundtrack to this image has to be about a tree. So here is Stand High Patrol, with The Big Tree.

Bonus: a few additional favorite photos of the red elm . . .
Red elm under a blue and white winter sky
The tree of life (Susan's story)
Sunrise through the red elm in mist
Ombra della mattina: the red elm and me
The red elm against a breaking sky
Winter pilgrimage to the red elm