Storm

The rain was torrential yesterday evening. The wind was strong too with thunder and lightning completing the drama. The indication is very clear that the dry spell is over and the rain brought back life to flora and fauna around my vicinity.

This flame of the forest was captured this morning with droplets from yesterday's rain still visible in the image. The Flame of the Forest is a medium sized tree, growing from 20 to 4O feet high, and the trunk is usually crooked and twisted with irregular branches and rough, grey bark. It is seen in all its ugliness in December and January when most of the leaves fall: but from January to March it truly becomes a tree of flame, a riot of orange and vermilion flowers covering the entire crown. These flowers, which are scentless, are massed along the ends of the stalks—dark velvety green like the cup-shaped calices—and the brilliance of the stiff, bright flowers is shown off to perfection by this deep, contrasting color.

Have a nice day!