Autumn White Oak "Flower"

As I was walking the dogs around the property today with my camera at the ready, I found a small White Oak tree with the most gorgeous fiery red-orange leaves. I looked at this tree for a while, wondering how I could possibly show the whole tree and share its blazing red beauty. But it sits near other trees and there was simply no way that I could find to make it stand out with a soft background. This is one of the reasons that I like to take pictures of individual leaves. I cannot isolate the whole tree and so the picture looks like nothing at all. Trees at the side of the road, or a tree in a field all by itself, well, that's different. Isolation is easy then. But not on our property. We have only a few isolated trees, and this particular Oak tree has leaves that turn quite red, while our other Oaks have leaves that turn yellow or with some red only. Frustrating!

However, I think that this leaf will give you an idea of what I was looking at in wonder. Leaves on fire, burning in the afternoon sun. Gorgeous, incredible and amazing. Isn't autumn breathtaking?! :)

Explored on October 20, 2013. Highest placement, page 6.