Bitterroot and Bergamot

Staghorn sumac, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.

Here is another sight that I've passed by many times in many years until I really stopped to study the scene while photographing it. This is the "horn" or fruit of the staghorn sumac that grows wild in the midwest. One recent evening I sallied forth to grab some shots in the last light and found this very commonplace fall feature glowing luminously in the setting sun. Just look at those colors of autumn, modulating from deep orange to almost white. Such a beautiful world!

Added note: having just posted this, I found a comment on the Flickr version of the photo from my friend MontanaRaven. She has such a lyrical way of expressing things that I have imported her comment here:

"She is a dancer taking a bow, and behind her on the stage her fellow dancers .... moving, flaming red, the color of fire and grace. They all run towards the front of the stage, bowing to wild applause. This .... this is the performance of the season, the way Autumn plies her graceful lithe way into Winter. One last show of color before they disrobe and go back once again ... to their (almost drab) street clothes."

Thank you M!

# posted by Bitterroot @ 12:03 AM