Gathering wood and ideas

Every place I go is an opportunity to find painting and drawing subjects.  Today we went to a pretty place for a load of firewood. It involves lots of gates to open and close, and the road requires a slow speed. This means there is much time for looking around. 

If the air were more clear, you could see better color on the distant slopes. Black oak and chamese (which I have no idea how to spell!) are showing.  Also, there is a clue where we are in the distance. . . I know, you are thinking, “what is it with this chick and Mineral King??” But I’m not telling where we went, so there.

Nice, hunh?

This is what black oaks do in the fall. Don’t worry, we didn’t cut anything down. We only cut wood that is already dead on the ground, promise!