Celebration of Mountain Ash

 I've been driving past this grand old Mountain Ash by the courthouse for weeks as the berries become more plentiful and brighter and brighter red.  I finally decided this morning to bring my camera along and get some photos before the leaves turn red.  For contrast, I hope tomorrow to get some photos of the less protected Mountain Ash up on the slopes of Spanish Peak where they survive much harsher winters.  I expect up there many will have lost their leaves and berries already.  But some might still have bright red berries and leaves.  They'll all be much smaller so they are able to survive winter by being bent down beneath the snow, then spring back upward in the spring.  When they get big enough to have more brittle trunks, that doesn't work any more.

 This one by the courthouse is so big and so lush with berries that one could take a thousand photos in search of the perfect composition.

Here's a view of the whole tree.  The density of berries is especially amazing near the top.  Certain birds have a great time up there.