Hidden color

I took a walk at lunch this week. It was cold and gray outside, and I had no expectations of capturing anything worthwhile with my camera. Days like this tend to suck the color out of most scenes, rendering them washed-out, dull and melancholy.

But the river that defines this city had flooded its banks, and I wanted to see it up close before the water receded. So off I went with an iPod in my ears (playing the score from Jim Carrey's Truman Show) and my camera in my trench coat pocket. Not even my woolie hat, scarf and mitts could ward off the chill.

My hunch turned out to be correct: the flood scenes were decidedly mundane. I snapped some pictures of the Canadian geese and turned for home. As I walked past one of the towering trees beside the flooded banks, I noticed a stab of color in the bark and thought it would be neat to explore. Here's the result.

Your turn: Can you see anything in this image? I once again find myself thinking that there's something there. But I can't quite put my finger on it. What do you think?