are some of the challenges here. I'd be glad to have the benefit of other eyes. Thanks!

buddy, i think you did about as good as one could with that situation. IMO, sometimes there's just nothing you can do with a spectacular sky but sit and watch it pass into darkness.

Elliot Porter said, "The more you photograph, the more you learn what can be photographed, and what cant be photographed, you just have to keep doing it."

So, i think this means that you should shoot to make your heart happy, but still you have to shoot and shoot and shoot.

It's not a bad shot, but to me there's no subject. Its a shot of a beautiful sky and some trees and you took advantage of that and did the best you could. It's not the cover of OP but it is a very well done shot.

I'm not sure how, or even if one could have made it better. . .

Thanks, Tony! Your comment, "...there's no subject" was a good one and gave me much to think about. I'd have to agree. Based on some feedback elsewhere I re-worked the image to reveal more of the foreground to see if that might better balance the image overall. Still won't make the cover of OP but as an exercise to enhance learning it works for me.

Much better!!!

Wow...nice edit Buddy!

Roman