Originally posted by OrchidJulie Ooh...a very handsome specimen indeed. What's the "fog" on the right, is that dust from the field being plowed? I see a tractor in one image..
That might be called "morning mist" or "ground fog." This was fairly early in the day, too early for the sun to burn it off. The setting is floodplain near the Connecticut River, Hadley, MA which was literally swept away by major flood of the river back in the 18th century (if memory and knowledge serve as to the date)*. This is prime farming land, what is sometimes called "river bottom land." Primary crops here are exceptional asparagus (all locals eagerly anticipate the first harvest) and also, not so admirable, high quality tobacco leaf used primarily for the outside wrapping of premium cigars (yuck!!!
). The building visible in the distance to the right of the base of the tree is a tobacco barn.
* I won't list all the floods, but among the records I found were reports of floods in 1683, 1692 and 1801. The greatest floods were 1936 (prolonged rain) and 1938 (probably the worst hurricane to strike New England, about 700 killed). There was also a significant flood in 1955. An upstream dam has substantially reduced the risk of such events. Preventing floods also prevents natural renewal of the soil on the floodplain.