Bill, my camera is set at single point and single shot auto focus almost 90% of the time. I move it off of those settings if I see a need. Single point will be the most accurate for you.

The pine needles were not noise. You will first see noise in the darker parts of a picture, if it has noise. Perhaps someone can post a picture for you that would demonstrate this. I would post one but my pictures never have noise. (of course this is a lie, I am at work now and not sure I have a good one available here to show)