While driving through Cades Cove one morning, looking for something interesting to shoot, I stumbled upon a small grove of sweetgum trees. Most of the color was gone from the valley floor in the Cove, but these trees were ablaze with color. I was particularly struck by how unique the coloring was on the tree’s leaves. It appeared almost as though the leaves were burning from the outside in; the outer edge black and charred looking with a brilliant orange and deep yellow center. It is always fun making little discoveries like these!
–Dan Thompson