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In Memoriam

I had noticed this spectacular sunset one February evening and quickly needed a foreground for it. Stepping out onto my deck the tree was the obvious choice.

Now, this Piñon tree was already mostly dead with only a few live branches on it any more. It was always leaning a little bit and tried to compensate by arching the upper branches backwards to keep balance. Then about two weeks after I made this image a strong westwind was blowing through the area and I saw that it was leaning a little more. A few weeks after that another windy day did it in. I came home and found it on the ground. At this point I had no other choice than to cut it up for firewood. I was a little sad because it had been my companion for more than thirty years and I will surely think of it and thank it when it keeps me warm next winter.

So to me this is not just another sunset shot.

 

We live in what I call an old growth Piñon forest. There are some spectacularly big Piñons around here, a tree that normally does not grow to great heights. Sadly a lot of them are dying due to the ongoing drought conditions in New Mexico.

Shot with the Auto Pentacon 50mm f1.8, a vintage lens.

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Uploaded on May 10, 2023
Taken on February 20, 2023