Amazing Trees and Ice

We've had a little wind lately and the oaks are pretty much bare, as are most of the other trees; surprisingly, the willows seemed to have the most persistent leaves.  The tree that I have been photographing on each visit recently is totally bare as is the other tree growing next to it.

With the leaves on the ground everywhere, the woods are much more open and it is easier to see how close we are to civilization on the Patch.  Houses hidden by vegetation before are now visible.

We noticed this tree stump today.  There is something unusual about it.  

Bark has continued to grow and has sealed off the cut.  Well, this tree has no needles (leaves) to supply energy, so how did this happen?  I think this is evidence that this (former) tree and another nearby are sharing a root system, perhaps through a mychorrhizal connection.  This stump is drawing energy from the needles of the other tree and has treated the severing of itself as a bark wound, which it has now healed.

Another interesting observation today was the presence of frost and ice.

It was 47 degrees while we were on the Patch today, yet water in several shady spots was still frozen from the 29 degree night we had 36 hours ago.  Our relative humidity is also quite low right now. I could find nothing (easily) on the maximum temperature in which ice will persist, but now I know it is at least 47 degrees.