I love the depth and contrast of colors. The centered horizon seems to work for this composition. Although, I'm sure you will get your critics for flaunting your distain for the rule of thirds. Good luck
Wonderful lines in this. I'd wager you're getting a few comments on the horizon being tilted, even though it most likely isn't (just a hillside angle). The cloudly sky in most situations would be peaceful, in this image the sky adds turbulence by disrupting the flow of the long smooth lines. Except for the blown-out sky in the top right, I really like this image and your approach to the challenge. Good luck. :)
Wonderful background, but feels like just a background. Feels like it needs something in the foreground (person? animal? tree?) to round out the picture.
Wow! I have nothing else to say than WOW! 10
Added: I have now offically looked through all of the photos in the challenge and this is my favorite and my choice for the blue!
There's nothing to look at... By that I mean that there isn't a strong enough element to hold your attention. Ya got nice lines but they don't 'go' anywhere. Ya got a nice sky but it doesn't border anything. Ya got nice tones but no subject to paint them on. You hit the rule of thirds pretty well but the thirds have nothing on them. If there were a cow or a road going into the distance or just about anything else to look at or drive the eye, this would be very nice!
TC
Great study in texture and color. Almost works as an abstract as well as a landscape. General DPC crowd might want to see the foreground exposed a little bit more, but I like it as is--it fits the mood.