I certainly didn't expect it to be that color either when I cut down the tree. It had been standing, dead, for about 3 years before I took it down. Before that it grew some very nice wild black walnuts. I could only assume that something caused the normal dark pigments to fade. The whole tree was that same color - the trunk, the branches, everything inside of the bark.
Nice looking piece, Tom. And yes, it can be a challenge to work with at times.
Looks good.