Today’s beautiful fall photos come from Freethought Blog’s very own Iris Vander Pluym, whose blog Death to Squirrels is much beloved by all. The photos were taken last weekend during Iris’ outing to her local market.
(FYI – There is an alternate version of the first photo that I’ll be posting on Halloween Day. You’ll want to check in for that. I promise it will be worth it.)
Halloween Greetings! Abingdon Square Park, New York City, October 2020. © Iris Vander Pluym 2020. All rights reserved
It’s rare for me to like pics of myself. There are hardly any anyway, because I’m usually the camera person, but Candy has gotten me to take selfies. Also, the light in the degu run is pretty flattering, I think, and the degus make me happy, so who cares for the double chin when you got happiness?
©Giliell, all rights reserved
©Giliell, all rights reserved
Estelle is definitely getting more trusting. She comes out almost immediately now, puts her tiny feetses on me and takes treats. Oh, and tries whether my thumb is edible… She is also clearly the clumsy one. Where Candy has added the top of the side track to her territory, Estelle just makes it on top of the box next to it, doesn’t manage to get up and then does a half climb, half jump, half fall off it again. Yes, three halves, that’s how clumsy she is.
©Giliell, all rights reserved
They still make me think of Caine and her kingdom of rats a lot. She would be absolutely delighted with the degus.
Today’s photo is a teaser. It’s a plant bedecked with webs and I’m not putting it below the fold because you have to search to see the spider. It was sent in by Avalus and it’s the teaser because he also sent 2 close-ups of the spider that I’m saving to put up on Hallowe’en day. Those are the truly terrifying photos – so arachnophobes beware! The spiders are coming soon.
©Avalus, all rights reserved
This magnificent autumn tree was sent in by Avalus, who notes,
… there is this beautiful tree in front of a physics building. I love the colour gradient from green to red.
I love it, too, Avalus. I don’t often see trees wearing all the colours, all together like this.
©Avalus, all rights reserved
Today’s photo is of a ‘spider mat’ sent in by mrandmrsoccupant. This fabulous work of art was made in Eugene, Oregon during the mid-1960, when the artist was still in grade school. It’s been kept safe all these years by the artist’s mother, who recognized a masterpiece when she saw it.
Spider mat, mid 1960s, ©mrandmrsoccupant, all rights reserved
The above is a German expression to indicate surprise, often with some disapproval: “Mein lieber Schwan, did you see how fast that car was going?”. But there’s absolutely no disapproval for our new swan family. They are pretty relaxed for swans, so far.
©Giliell, all rights reserved
©Giliell, all rights reserved
The two youngsters. One of them keeps holding tight to their baby plumage while the other one has been wearing their adult white for a while now.
Thanks to PZ Myers for today’s submission. I think all churches are a little bit creepy, but this 19th-century church and graveyard near Starbuck, MN emanates a truly chilling aura.
©PZ Myers, all rights reserved
Yesterday we met our friends at the park, and this time I took my camera with me. The whole thing is currently overrun by mushrooms, toadstools, whatever. It’s not like I can identify any of them apart from the red toadstool that says “do not eat”. One day I#ll sign up for a “learning about mushrooms” class, but until that day, I will just collect their pics. the big advantage here is that they’re all good that way.
©Giliell, all rights reserved
©Giliell, all rights reserved
©Giliell, all rights reserved
©Giliell, all rights reserved
©Giliell, all rights reserved
©Giliell, all rights reserved
Today’s picture is my submission to the photo festival. This apparition appeared on our river trail in late summer, and I think it looks like a melancholy ghost giraffe.
ghost giraffe ©voyager, all rights reserved
Thanks to Avalus, we have a taste of the fungi of fall.
Fall would not be fall without all the tiny mushrooms. Here is one, growing between pine needles.
©Avalus, all rights reserved
Today’s picture is from the talented photographer, Nightjar, and it may look sweet, but she notes,
The bird is a Pied Flycatcher during its autumn migration, and it may seem adorable and not at all spooky, but from the point of view of a fly it is no less murderous than a spider!
Pied Flycatcher, Nightjar, all rights reserved
I call her Cocoa © Voyager, all rights reserved
Jack has been having problems with swelling and pain in his left shoulder. It’s likely arthritic, and it would be good for him to start taking an anti-inflammatory drug called Meloxin. Our first lab Lucy had a lot of joint problems and she took Meloxin for years with good effect and I want Jack to have equal comfort in his senior years. Trouble is, that Jack takes a steroidal allergy tablet every day because he’s allergic to grass, and the two drugs are incompatible so he can’t start it until the grass is dead and he stops the steroids. We see the Vet on Monday to discuss other options, but for now, Jack is limited to one short walk a day. He isn’t very happy about this state of affairs, especially since getting in and out of the car is difficult, and we’ve been sticking close to home. I can’t believe I’m actually saying this out loud, but I hope it snows soon. Sorry folks, but it’s going to come eventually, and the sooner all this lush green October grass goes to bed for the winter, the sooner my Bubba can have some fun again.
The photos are from last week.
Isn’t she beautiful? © Voyager, all rights reserved
This is Cocoa’s best friend, Nugget © Voyager, all rights reserved
Today’s photo is from kestrel and it’s a lovely, serene photo of a plant called plumbago. I did a bit of research to discover that this plant has a few practical uses, including as an emetic and a treatment for wounds and warts. Very useful for the wart plagued witches of October, no?
©kestrel, all rights reserved
(Also, apologies for the bad writing yesterday. That is probably the most awkward sentence I’ve ever written. I was trying 2 different ways to say something and I forgot to edit. Naughty, voyager!! No, please don’t go back and read it. Look at the pretty kitty and forget all about the description.)