November 2, 2015 - Pica pica.  A magpie silhouetted at dawn on the snag at the top of the old ponderosa tree at the Hiking House.

 

That beautiful old ponderosa is weathered, beaten, broken and struggling. 

 

 

I am old enough to have seen a number of my favorite trees fall and die.  One was the lone cottonwood on the Lamar River, and another was the lookout cottonwood at the top of PK hill.  Sadly, this grand old ponderosa also seems to be losing the battle with time.  But it still remains steadfastly anchored to the sandstone. 

 

 

Thankfully, nature has provided this young heir apparent at the Hiking House.