Forest fern

 

I love ferns - they are plants that reproduce via spores and don't have seeds or flowers. This was taken in the forest behind our house during the fall, when the vegetation was yellowing and the early afternoon sun shining through a thinning canopy. The sun seemed to spotlight this specific fern, with most of the surrounding forest darker, and a fallen tree framed it nicely.

Ginkgo bilboa

 This ginkgo tree is potted on our balcony and turned a brilliant yellow during the fall. Going from fossil records, these trees used to be widespread around the world (two plus million years ago) but their range shrank to a small area in China. But they are quite commonly planted all over the world and have a strong significance in a few eastern cultures - among other things, a ginkgo leaf is the simbol of Tokyo, and the tree is the city's official tree.