July 7 through November 12, 2021

This is going to be a ridiculously long post.

I haven't been photographing the birds as much but can't resist the brown thrasher above and the great blue heron below.

The crepe myrtles this summer were particularly stunning.

We had so much rain that even the summer heat didn't impact the greens and wildflowers. 

I can't resist the light playing on the tree foliage. 

The swallowtail butterfly below was feasting on wildflowers as I walked on the greenway trail. 

To me, the shot below looks more like spring than summer which is an example of how much difference it makes when there's a lot of rain to counteract extreme heat.

I met friends at Topsail Beach, NC at the end of August.

It was my first trip since Covid-19 hit and is only about 2 1/2 hours drive from my house so not very adventurous. 

The weather cooperated for the most part. 

There were showers but not during the part of the day that I wanted to be outside.

I love the drama of storms, as long as I'm not on a boat.

I was on a boat for the next sequence of shots but it was timed perfectly.

I love the sun setting through clouds. 

The dark cloud on the left below looks like a dog to me.

I think I see a dragon below.

I am getting confused. I may have duplicate shots but don't feel like figuring it out. 

I keep going up and down in the preview but lose my train of thought.

Back home on the greenway trail in September the trees continued to look like spring.

I'm not good at identifying snakes but this didn't look like one I wanted to get too close to. 

I love wildflowers. 

I spotted the dragonfly on asphalt at least I think it's a dragonfly.

I love clouds and the puffy ones with blue peaking through are among my favorites. 

This is getting repetitious but the shot below shows what an unusual summer it was. 

Heading into fall the greens were still fresh.

The wildflowers are lovely.

The sky never ceases to amaze me.

The bench on the dam below is one I've probably shot a thousand times, empty as well as in use. 

My brother died a little over a year after an eight year battle with cancer. 

He and his family have lived in Mill Valley, CA since before his oldest son was born in 1997. 

It wasn't possible to have a funeral because of Covid-19. 

My brother wanted a big party post Covid-19 which is what my sister in law did. 

Although bittersweet it was also fun and a great way to remember my brother. 

I was glad that so many of us could gather and remember Dan the way he would have wanted with fun and humor in spite of the sadness that he wasn't there. 

Back home for a long fall.

The leaves have been changing slowly.

We still have a lot of fall color in the NC piedmont where I live.

It has been beautiful and pleasant with fairly mild temperatures.

It will be considerably colder over the next few days. 

One thing about where I live the weather changes back and forth and back again.

We have 4 distinct seasons but they aren't a straight path.

The temperatures can change 40 degrees or more within 24 hours although we haven't had that kind of range recently.

The trees below at the Wallgreen's parking lot always dazzle me this time of the year.

The next two shots are from my driveway.

I guess that's it for the next 3 or 4 months unless I get inspired.