A Rotting Tree - 50with50 No. 10

Cool Lines

A cool rotting tree in the woods at our house is the latest entry in the 50with50 series.

As we were on our walk through the woods enjoying nature, it was interesting to see some of the rotting trees that have fallen at some point in the woods. I am actually somewhat surprised by how many fallen trees we have in the woods, but I suppose that is part of nature. Trees grow, then they die and fall, and then they rot, usually with the help of some insects and other critters.

Laura and I both thought the lines in this rotting tree were really cool. Why were they there? Did the termites or whatever else was eating the tree eat in lines like that? Does it have something to do with the bark that was on the tree? Is that just the way that this type of wood rots? I am sure there are answers, I just don’t know what they are, since I am not really a tree guy.

I also thought the green moss was pretty cool, too. Similar to the green stuff growing in the creek bed in the previous photo, this green moss added a little bit of color to the photo, as did the sunlight filtering through the tree branches. Just one more cool thing about nature. It is there if you take the time to look for it.

Uncertain Times

As I am writing this in the midst of the COVID-19 events, I see a lot of people talking of uncertain times. I do understand what they are talking about. With some restaurants and stores closing either partially or completely, that affects the people who work there and depend on that income. And I know there are other jobs affected in similar ways.

Also, I know there is some uncertainty about how long this will all last, what else will be affected, and so on. High school seniors are starting to realize that the end of their high school careers might be different from previous years. People are starting to wonder about their summer vacation plans. Everyone is wondering how long they will have to stay inside and away from others.

There is a big temptation to worry in times like this. That is always true when things are uncertain or unknown. But that does not really change anything. Except to make you worry even more.

When I feel myself starting to worry, I try to find some things to be positive about. Right now I have more time at home with my family. We have more time to watch movies and read books, both of which I enjoy. We even have time to go for walks. And the other day we played a board game. Hopefully, that isn’t the last time we get to do that.

In some ways, I am actually going to miss these slower times when this is all over. Yes, it will be great to spend more time with friends and go more places again. But staying home and spending time with the people there definitely has its perks, too.

Maybe we will realize how good some of those blessings are while we have the time to enjoy them.

Bible Verse

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” - John 16:33

About the Photo

As with the previous 50with50 photo, this one sort of processed itself, so to speak. It didn’t really take any work to get to this final version. Just some very minor adjustments, nothing major at all. That is always nice when that works.

It did take a couple of attempts to get the focus right when I was taking this photo. That is the problem with using a wide-open aperture with a close subject - getting the focus right. In fact, often manual focus works best for something like this. I used manual focus for a few later photos, and it would have made things a little quicker for this one, too. But it all turned out just fine.

Photo: A single Raw exposure, processed in Aurora HDR. Read more about photography tips, photo software, camera gear, and more at Steve’s Photography Tips.
Camera: Sony Alpha A7 II
Lens: SonyFE 50mm f/1.8
Date: February 29, 2020
Location: Home, Williston, Tennessee