Regarding the background... I definitely like the clouds better. The problem with the trees picture was that it is such an intense green color -- right beside a theme that is predominantly red. The contrast just really stood out badly and wanted to yank my eyes off to the side. A background is supposed to be something that breaks up the monotony of a blank space without drawing your attention away from the primary content. That's why I suggested washing it out, but honestly I think the blue of the clouds blends a lot better in this theme.
And for what its worth, I do prefer an image rather than a solid color for the background. I think the page would just look too 'flat' (which is fine for a mobile device with limited screen space), but a background gives more dimension when you're on a desktop screen.
And thanks for adding back the quick-reply box. I'm happy now