Often when I come across one of these long dead oak trees I feel compelled to take some photos of it. I really love the colors and textures of that old wood. I also find them incredibly interesting as a piece of nature. They may no longer be alive, but they provide nutrients for a huge host of fungi, lichens, bacteria, and insects. They also provide shelter for these organisms and many larger ones as well. Finally, they give birds a place to perch, bears a place to scratch, and deer a place to rub their antlers. Of course, they fulfill so many other functions too. So part of their beauty is the fact that they are gone, but are far from useless.