Last year we didn’t really have too much of an autumn show of colour. Instead, most trees just went from green to brown to leafless. This year, though, autumn is glorious and all the trees are wearing their best, bright party dresses. Jack and I invite you to join us as we stroll around our neighbourhood and look at all the pretty October colour.
Just starting to colour up
OK, it’s just one more spider, but (s)he’s beautiful. This one came to us from Avalus who says,
I found this spider in August when I was riding home from work under the lit handrail of a pedestrian bridge. She had many moths woven in silk hanging just under the rail, so it seems she picked a good spot. She did not like the flash too much. I think it is a common orbweaver (Kreuzspinne – “cross spider” in german).
Photos are below the fold. The detail in the second shot is outstanding. Thanks for sharing, Avalus. [Read more…]
This week’s Friday Feathers come from Nightjar who writes this:
These sanderlings briefly landed in front of me during a relaxed walk on the beach, understandably I was not carrying the 500mm lens with me. I took these with the 50mm, and then I cropped and cropped some more, and then I pretended I meant to compose the images like this all along because sand and seawater are pretty too. :D
I completely agree that the composition IS beautiful and I sympathise with “if only I had the other lens”. I am wondering, are sanderlings related to starlings?
©Nightjar, all rights reserved
©Nightjar, all rights reserved
©Nightjar, all rights reserved
No. 10, ©voyager, all rights reserved
Jack and I have been on the hunt for the rich reds and oranges of autumn, but today this bit of green caught my eye. Tomorrow Bubba (Jack’s nickname) and I invite you to tag along as we share the showy colours of our very own neighbourhood in an extended Jack’s Walk.
While David’s tulips are most gorgeous, my woods are just as colourful, though the flowers are my potted plants.
I’m going to try something new here and give you a nice video instead of plastering everything with photos. Because I’m taking so many pics right now, it would clog the blog. Please let me know if you like it or not.
I never tire of autumn colours, but the sight of these gorgeous tulips sent in by David from Australia made me more than a little nostalgic for the season of new growth. The white ones in particular caught my eye. They look so fresh and crisp. David Says,
It may be Autumn/Fall up North, but here in the South, Spring has sprung, The Grass has riz. Shot these tulips last week in Bendigo, (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bendigo)
such a lovely sunny day it was impossible to shoot without humans getting in the pics. Enjoy.
Thanks, David. I am enjoying and so will everyone else.
©David Brindley, all rights reserved
©voyager, all rights reserved
I love the way fallen leaves collect on the ground and flutter with every passing car. They softly whoosh and dance and sometimes my heart swells just at the sight and the sound of them. I can often be found kicking my feet in the gutters and setting them in motion. Jack politely stays on the sidewalk, often giving me a look that says ‘mommy, we’re not allowed to walk on the road,’ but even his good manners can’t stop me. Come dancing leaves, my feet are restless and my ears hear the waltz in your sighs.
Along the path there were also several statues that could be used as resting places. None of them looked too comfortable, but who cares?
©Charly, all rights reserved. Click for full size.
©voyager, all rights reserved
The weather here has been glorious for the past 2 days. It’s T-shirt warm with cloudless blue skies and it was wonderful to be outside with the sun warming my back. We slowed down a bit to take in all the pretty colours and stopped once or twice to watch the squirrels dash here and there squirreling away their treasure. I think I should grab a book and go sit outside. Housework can wait. There won’t be many more days like this and it would be a shame to waste it.
In memory of Caine, who taught me much about the value of our surroundings and the value of water, and to celebrate Indigenous People Day, because Indigenous People all over the world have to fight for their water, against the black snake of oil and fracking, against the industries that use it as a throw away article, against the companies that will take people’s water and then sell it back to them in bottles..
I am very privileged to life in a beautiful place where I can probably say hello to tonight’s drinking water by taking a walk in the morning. This morning I took that walk and took pictures of the water here.
©Giliell, all rights reserved
The sign telling you that this is a protected water reserve
Small and sparkling in the sun.
©Giliell, all rights reserved
Slowly meandering between the trees
©Giliell, all rights reserved
A footpath with stakes to walk on.
I live in a swamp, that’s why I’m always bogged down.
©Giliell, all rights reserved
Mirror, mirror…
©Giliell, all rights reserved
And finally, should the humans get thirsty, there is a wonderful fountain. You cannot see the actual nozzle, because it’s quite deep, but the water is always fresh and delicious. ©Giliell, all rights reserved
This week we have a walnut tree at sundown, sent to us by Avalus. The evening sky in the photos is big and dramatic and the setting sun blazes through the heart of the tree. Brilliant. Thanks for sharing, Avalus.
©Avalus, all rights reserved
©Avalus, all rights reserved
©Avalus, all rights reserved
Happy Thanksgiving, ©voyager, all rights reserved
Today is Thanksgiving in Canada and our version of the holiday is a mix of harvest celebration, family get-together and time to count your blessings. We usually eat too much and grumble at how early the Christmas Season starts. There will be talk of Halloween and lots of remember whens and someone will tell the story of Dad and the whipped cream. There will be turkey and ham, squash and fresh green beans, apple and pumpkin pie and we don’t forget the cream, iced or whipped take your pick. Some of us will spend time outdoors going for walks and putting up Christmas decorations and most of us will spend a few minutes counting our blessings.
I have many blessings and I try to count them every day, but this year I have a whole new set of blessings to count and that is all of you. I feel very privileged to be a part of this community. You have all welcomed me during a very difficult time for this blog and your support means a lot to me. I’ve made friendships here with people from all over the world and although I will probably never get to meet any of you in person I value our friendship a great deal. So on this Canadian Thanksgiving Day I am thankful for you.
Not our affinity Charly, but our friends’ very good old boy, who is definitely related to a certain oversized squirrel:
©Giliell, all rights reserved
We went for a walk through the woods to the “hunting palace” of a Swedish king who once ruled these regions. Part of it is a restaurant today, part of it is a ruin.