Which field and stream magazine did you get this out of? ;-) This is a beautiful shot. The simplistic nature of it really draws me in. I like the mixture of wood with the stone, nice contrast of elements. Good shot.
First shot I've seen that really meets the challenge - depth of field perhaps a little too shallow where the top of the shoot gooes out of focus. Great tonality though, good shooting.
You've lost some focus on your main subject and the rocks at its base got it instead. This is a good idea. Your exposure was right on and the colors of all the rocks against the tree works well, too.
you get a sense of the struggle of this little pine - what its environment is like. Wish the tip of the plant were in focus. Perhaps a little more light on the plant to make it stand out a bit better from the background.