Yet, There is Lots of Life Here

Even though there are plenty of dead people in the local cemeteries, life abounds here. We were surprised to see an immature pheasant walking along the roadside.

Moments before she/he darted into the grass, I got this slightly blurry photo of him/her from the side. 

And, of course, there are endless fields of ripe wheat. Oddly enough, this lone tree is allowed to remain in the field. I can only imagine the it is easier to plant and reap around it than to remove it.

There is clearly more going on at ground level that simply a tree standing in the field. The narrow stretches of grass suggest that the ground is rough and perhaps slept by a stream (perhaps after strong rains). Perhaps the tree is part of a larger rocky section that just doesn't pay to deal with.