Looks like Q bicolor (swamp white oak). Don't sweat it, oak leaves are subject to more minor afflictions (fungi, bacteria, leaf munchers, galls, etc) than most trees -- they're the most common trees. As long as most of the "green" is present, food production isn't much affected. No, can't see where the prior sycamore is any issue.

My wife is a veteran on the butterfly forum as an avid butterfly raise and release person. Her handle is tdogmom after our dog Tifanny who is fighting cancer and who also has her own site with many dog friends. I was responding to someone on another forum who had a question about Monarchs and plumerias but I did not have a handle. I was using hers but realized that was not cool so I just modified hers to mine. When I happened onto this site, I figured that with years of collecting, growing and experimenting, and connections with some of the top collectors and professional growers, i could have some useful information. I am purely a collector and I want to create hybrids, My extra plants I plant in schools, in parks or in my friends yards. I guess I am a true plumiaholic (now at 99 varieties and about 400 plants and no room for more) Hope that answers your question.

Well, I am back from my DD's, and I am stuffed, I always swear I will not overdo it, but I go ahead and do it anyway. Oh well, this special holiday only comes one time a year and I am enjoying it. I told my DD everything you all said and she was very happy you all liked her efforts, she says thanks! Maymo, LOL, I know, you sort of have to look for them with everything else going on in the tree:) My DD only used picks like this for the first time this year so she was not too sure about it, I think it takes awhile to get used to doing something different on a tree. oldalgebra, Oh good, I was just thinking about you on my drive home, I was afraid I had not explained it very well (I do so much better getting things across to people in-real-life LOL. People on Flickr devote whole groups and forums to taking these kinds of photos. :) I know you'll have lots of fun with this technique. Peoniesandposies, thank you for your nice comment I will pass it along to my DD. :)

I've been threatening to take a photography class, but no one gives a class way out where I live! This is SOOOOO perfect and completely addresses my needs! Sharon, you are so patient and so amazing! I feel like you're talking directly to me in terms I can totally understand. I am very grateful. I cannot wait to put it into practice!