this cat really got me stumped

amazing natural art on a tree stump

so i was out walking in this wonderful beech forest taking photos in the fresh autumn air. it is the world's northernmost pure beech forest and crowns the city of Larvik. in addition to being a nature reserve it's also a preserved archeological site with burial mounds from before the roman empire and many remnants from the viking age. anytime of the year it is a joy to visit, perhaps take a leisurely stroll with a camera or in winter ski the groomed trails. i have been here many times and posted about it before but there is always something new to find. after some great autumn forest shots i started searching for more detailed subject matter. i stopped at a stump that caught my attention.

so i zoomed in and started closely examining the lines, the patina, the texture

the subtle earthy colors

i was amazed at how much was going on here that is so easy to overlook

i have always appreciated how awesome an artist nature is

but i don't think i have ever examined a tree stump in that light before

this tree was probably cut a couple of years ago.

an invasive fungus takes hold of some trees and spreads fast. the forest is well managed so infected trees are chopped and removed as soon as the fungus is discovered.

patterns start to emerge in my mind. it's almost like a face, no wait

there's a cat, clear as day. and underneath there's a lion's nose.

it took me a while to notice but once i did it was so obvious and unmistakeable

i have cropped and edited these photos for contrast, exposure, saturation etc but i have not done anything to specifically enhance the image of the cat. nature alone has done that!