Seasonal rain

It's October, and that means rain. There is never a guarantee about the weather, but rain and autumn go hand in hand. During the summer, when the temperatures are in the 80s (F), I take the motorcycle even if it looks like rain. Now, with the temperatures in the 50s, I think twice about it.

I'm riding today.

Moccasin Kill

The camera built into the phone does OK when the subject is fully sunlit, as these trees are. We took a ride up to the Moccasin Kill preserve, where there are walking trails among the hills and streams. A very relaxing place to spend a few hours.

All in a row

Sparrows line up on the fence, waiting their turn. For what, I'm not entirely sure. There's an impromptu watering station behind them, and a tiny strip of sand in front. Drinks, then a sand bath?

This one was taken with the 1960s vintage Minolta SRT-SCII 35mm film camera. I can really control the depth of field with a long lens; something I can't do with the 1999 Nikon digital. It makes me want to spend the money for a real digital camera. Maybe for Christmas...

Terraforming

Humans are builders, but there's something magnetic about a stream and a bank full of stones that just cries out for a dam to be built. OK, so it's probably not terraforming as we think of it, but these two brothers are changing the earth together just the same.

Ewwwwww

Sometimes trees grow into fantastic shapes. This one was so reminiscent of a nose... well, the photo says it all.

Change is coming

No, not politics, the colours!

Some trees have well into their transformation from their summer's green to the colours of autumn. Some trees go all at once and others go a bit at a time. It's interesting to see how quickly the leaves change. In a week's time this tree will have probably lost all its leaves, ready to slumber for the winter.

Cider doughnuts

We went apple picking and decided to stop at Focastle Farms to get some apple cider doughnuts. They are locally famous for their doughnuts, and this time of year they are churning them out by the thousands. They have a machine that forms the rings, drops the raw dough into the hot oil and cooks them. It even flips them over so they cook evenly. A dusting of cinnamon sugar and they are ready to eat, warm and delicious!