The Door

...taking a shortcut between the community center buildings as the boys and I finished our walk this morning, I discovered this amazingly colorful back door to the pottery studio.  A perfect thing to see on October 31st...

View in the Mist

...crossing the narrow little bridge over the river to the soccer field where I walk the boys, I was captivated by the ethereal view upriver...of the mist, the reflections in the water, the tranquil beauty of the scenery.  Though there is nowhere to safely stand on the bridge for this perspective, I just had to risk life and limb to get a photograph.  I parked the car, then walked back and, between dodging vehicles, leaping guardrails, bouncing with the vibrations of each passing car or truck, caught this moment...

Snap

...the very last of the Snapdragons, still beautiful and lush, sprinkled with early morning dew.  I will miss these cheerful, colorful flowers on the back slope, though they're so prolific, I know they'll be back in all their rainbow hues next Spring...

Who Are You?

...I noticed this large bird standing on a rock in the middle of the river this morning while out hiking with the critters.  At first, I thought it was either a crane or heron, but when I got home and really looked at the photo...well, I'm not sure what it is.  I went through my bird book--yeah, I actually have a Nat Geo Oregon/Washington bird book--but of all the birds that live, pass through or drop in for a visit, this isn't one of them.  It remains a mystery...

Jewels

...walking the dogs along the river yesterday on a very beautiful Fall afternoon.  The sun was like diamond light as it flashed and sparkled across the water in this glimpse through a stand of trees...