The skeletal forms of trees remain hidden during much of the year, but winter reveals them in all of their naked glory. Without the distractingly bright colors of leaves, it is easy during the cold season to become entranced by the delightful contours and textures of the trees and the unusual growths that protrude from their bark.
As I get older, it seems that I too am developing protrusions and discolorations, but I tend to keep them hidden under layers of clothing, especially during the winter.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
What a wonderful post Mike! The beauty of trees.
Trees always have something fascinating to offer!
I liked to be reminded of that from time to time. Often I forget about the trees when I am feverishly searching for birds.
We are like trees, living on a faster scale.
Indeed. Hundreds of years from now, some of the trees will still be around, but we surely won’t be.
Those almost look like turkey tail mushrooms.
I defer to others when it comes to fungi–I can’t identify very many and I certainly would not eat one.
I have a friend in a local fungus federation, and she told me that all shelf mushrooms, the kind that grow on tree trunks, are edible and actually good for your immune system. But of course you always want to consult with an expert.