Tamarack glory

Spring brings so much new life to the forest. This is a tamarack -- the only evergreen to shed its needles in the autumn, after blazing into golden glory late in the fall. Come spring, the new buds open into soft green, with the flowers briefly glorious, while the old cones still cling to the branches. This wonderful photo, showing all three phases at once, was taken by Rob and Jean Hilscher, from Oxtongue Lake. Thanks for the share.