The tea colored water surrounding these Cypress trees gave an orange color to the mulch below. But I could see the bottom only in the shadow of the trees where the reflection of the sky was blocked. Between the trees the surface of the water was like a mirror, reflecting the bright sky. I was struck by this combination of orange and blue stripes.

Another feature of this scene that caught my eye was the many colors of the Bromeliads. The one clinging to the second cypress from the right, for example, is an icy green, probably reflecting the bluish surface of the water. Some of the other Bromeliads, especially the large one at the extreme right in the painting, are back-lighted. The sun was able shine through its leaves because the leaves in early spring are thin and translucent. Later in the summer the leaves will be more opaque, loosing their stained glass window effect, but brilliant flower spikes would no doubt make up for the loss. Another sign of spring is the pale yellow-green of the new leaves on the Cypress trees. Cypresses are one of only three conifers in the world that lose their leaves. And when new leaves emerge they are extremely delicate and pale yellow-green.

These Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) live in the Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida.