Trees trees trees...

In years past, I've always concentrated on what is below the trees. For some reason this past year, I've been looking at trees with more interest.
I still adore fungi, moss, and bugs but right now there are none of those things available to look at under the snow.

The skies have been overcast and dull or it has been bright as all get out! 

Birch Trees 

edited to look artsy

Boxelder
seriously...
I wasn't smoking anything!

I found myself looking for objects that lend themselves to almost an abstract and artistic flair.

If nothing else, it is fun to hike our deep woods to find something interesting. I need to figure out what these trees are. They hang on to little orange leaves. They catch my eye while walking on the deer trails.

I used a ribbon that was attached to a deflated Mylar balloon I found to one of these trees so I can try and ID this tree type in the spring.

Snow storm!

The view across the neighbor's meadow to the east. 

Super duper zoom in

on a crooked tree branch

A friend of mine said it looked like neural brain synapses...
Hmmm, my brain was just enjoying the snowfall.

Another view of the same 

branch...
Amazing how a different shot and color edits

can make it look:

I thought of Aurora when I found this tree---> pointing down. 

Sorry it is such a poor photo, with the snow fall I had a hard time getting any proper exposure against the snowy sky.

However it is one awesome -cool -bizarre -wild cherry tree. I know last summer I never saw what it looked like up in the branches.

This bizarro tree lives near my favorite boxelder and the smushed face tree I spotted last June:

That makes 4 favorite odd and strange trees in one small area.

Winter is a good time to examine branches and shapes. I found some other wicked and strange trees on my walk around the meadow in yesterday's snowfall. 

Man Eating Tree?

*Edit 3 10 2022: Old Hawthorn Tree*

I'm enjoying the bare bones of the trees in the forest around me...but I would be lying if I said I didn't miss the forest and all of its glorious colors.

After all, trees rule the land around us.