This beautiful, wild-grown exemplar of Pinus Silvestris (alias Scots Pine) caught my attention and fancy because it was in full and unusually bountiful bloom. The erect yellow pollen cones created the visual effect of a cascading river.

Notice the various color hues of the pine. I have been often puzzled by how the color changes with one's distance from the tree. From far away, it is reddish, getting closer it becomes green and finally, upon close inspection, the bluish-gray of the needles takes over. The effect is perceivable even in the last photo (comparing the faintly bluish green of the front branches with the darker green hues of those farther away).

Along the road between Valtice and Lednice, Southern Moravia, Czech Republic, April 29, 2009