The 21st day of the tenth month of the year of the OP

DOUBLE NOR'EASTER

Last weekend was spent doing a show in North Wildwood, NJ. Fourteen hundred miles and four days of travel.

Two days spent semi outside in one of the worst Nor'easters ever to hit the Jersey shore. The weekend was a lighthouse tour, state wide, and at least three of the lights were closed due to flooding. As can be seen in the one image of AngleSea, or North Wildwood, the back bay was the problem in most areas.

The amazing part about the photo of town is the telephone wires. I never noticed them before, but I guess when you have flooding, it's not so good to put them underground. A real cluttered image.

The inlet was a mess as can be see in the photo looking north east into the ocean, and this was at low tide.

Fortunately, I was in the gazebo which they covered with sheeting to stop the rain and wind. Rained most of Saturday and Sunday with winds approaching 50 mph. The crowd was down, understandably, about thirty percent. I thought that was pretty good, but their buying was off by fifty percent. So not so good! But could have been worse, at least the public could get to us.

Next show in Easton, Md mid Nov.

The 15Th day of the 10Th month of the year of the OP

THRUST INTO FALL

The weather channel is talking about all the fall colors from Maine south through the Appalachian chain. But a double nor'easter this weekend which may knock some of that color out of the mountains and certainly along the coast. Plans to view all the spectacular scenes we are blessed with, at this time of year, may have to be delayed.

I thought that it was just the July fourth and the temperatures were in the high nineties.

Then came September, but it has still been warm. Getting dark here around 7:00 pm now and I guess that is another hint that the seasons are shifting again.

We just seem to go through these seasons at warp speed, sometimes without notice.

This jogger on the Riverwalk seems to be handlig that natural change well, holding onto nature's chameleon beauty.

14Th day of the tenth month of the year of the OP

BEACH WEAR!

I am headed to North Wildwood, New Jersey for the NJ Lighthouse Challenge this weekend.

It's a long way with a lot of stuff in the car, but worth it to see old friends and be part of the Challenge, which I understand could be the last. We have been doing it for 10 years and have upwards of three thousand people who take the weekend to see a dozen or more lighthouse.

Unfortunately, I understand that we will be looking at a Nor'easter all weekend and this will be a first rain out the event in ten years. In the past we have had blue bird skies and great fall weather. Maybe mother nature will fools us and this stuff will blow out before Saturday.

The photograph of the Hatteras Lighthouse was taken during just such a north east blow and you can readily see the "Beach wear" or erosion that such storms create. In fact, you can see from this image just why they had to move the lighthouse inland almost a mile. Beach erosion is terrific during one of these storms. Actually more damaging than a hurricane because they normally blow for three days.

While I love the beach during a storm, I am not looking forward to reduced traffic due to bad weather heaped upon an already bad economy. But lighthouse freaks like me will spend money on their hobby regardless.

It will be fun, so put on your slickers and I will see you there Saturday and Sunday. The Hereford Inlet Lighthouse in North Wildwood, NJ. I'll be in the tent that looks like it was made with duck tape!

The 13Th day of the 10Th month of the year of the OP

SHADOWS

Today was absolutely beautiful. Temps in the high sixties and low seventies with crystal clear skies.

Walked two miles on the Riverwalk and saw how the lighting struck the walkway.

I am always on the lookout for something that would make a decent wall accent.

The shadows were just right today and they became the study for the day and walk. Nothing complex, just decent composition as the sun cast itself into the woods and made some interesting shapes and textures.

It was almost as the sun was showing it's delight after being hidden in clouds and rain for the past two days. All it took was someone to recognize it!

The 12Th day of the 10Th month of the year of the Op

NATURE WINS!

A few years back, in Maryland, a doe deer gave birth to the little guy pictured here. Now, there is nothing new about that....critters have been doing this for a Melania. It is a little buck as, even at this age, you can see the spots on it's head where the antlers will eventually grow.

The different thing about this is that the fawn was lying against the base of a giant oak tree at the end of my driveway and only 20 feet from a fairly active two lane street. I could not believe my eyes as I was leaving the house and here he was in the corner of my eye.

I now had a dilemma! Should I leave the critter alone. All kinds of dogs wandered the area and cars speeding along in excess of 25 mph were just a leap away and where the devil was it's mother.

Of course the only sensible thing to do was to photograph it and then worry about the logistics of it's future health. Sorta like your golfing buddy having a heart attack on the 15Th hole......you gotta drag him three holes until your finish your round. "Hit the ball, drag Billy Bob." Get the picture first!

I knew that when deer are first born, they have absolutely no scent. Nature's protection. Predators couldn't find the little fella as long as he didn't move. Well, he would not move....in fact would not even he make eye contact with me or the camera. I called the vet just to be sure as to what to do. Leave him alone, his mother will care for him. Nature wins, leave it alone!

Sure enough the doe came to feed him at night and was never more than a hundred yards from his location. So for two days and nights, this guy worried me and, I would check on him every two hours just to make sure all was well. Like having your own kid!

After he got strong enough to run with his mother, off they went. I did get to see him grow up for his first year and watch the spots vanish as he romped through adolescence. Quite a fun experience.

Another 11Th day of the 10Th month of the year of the OP

I"m Baaaaaaaaack!

Started to walk again on the Riverwalk yesterday when I did about a mile and half. Felt good and today did about three miles.

First time since about last May that I have been down there. I guess that they're right...............What doesn't kill you will only make you stronger.

At least I hope!

Probably overdoing it, but wanted to see some of the old spots that I like down there.

I am not power walker.

Slouth-like might be a more accurate description.

Or maybe a stalker.....looking for things of interest and to photograph (no not the ladies).

What I lack in speed and cardio exercise or build up, I make up for in distance. At least that's my take on the whole thing.

Saw only a few of my old friends because it was a weekend. That means I had more time to walk, and not obligatory chat time . The serious walkers have other things to do on Saturday and Sunday.

The weekend jog, walk, run, skip, crowd was out and seemed to be enjoying themselves. I guess they figure that if they exercise only on weekends, the Monday through Friday desk work won't hurt em.

Did see a couple of fishermen on the river but no finny friends came to the hook and line. A couple of guys were releasing a possum that they had live trapped somewhere. I guess they had enough for dinner and this one seemed a little small. Although, it would probably have been fairly tender............Yuuuuuuuuuuck! Like the man said, "Never had it and don't want it again"!

I saw nothing of photographic impact but that too will change over time and I still think that this five mile stretch of walkway is one of the best ways to spend tax dollars. But then I am biased in more ways than one.

11Th day of the 10th month of the year of the OP

A CARPET KITTEN UPDATE

Why is it that dogs love you and will do anything to please.

On the other hand cats will do whatever they can to annoy, particularly dogs and mocking birds (but that's another story).

Our dogs love to sit at the front door (glass) and bark at whatever is going on. Drives me nuts, but they love it.

The Carpet Kitten, as reported here some time ago, is thriving amongst the four or five neighbors who feed, pet, play, and doctor it. Really a nice cat but one that loves to walk under your feet and get his nose into whatever it is you are working on. Loves to put paw prints on the glass in the picture frames I am cleaning.

At any rate, this potted plant is three feet away from the front door. The cat must love the background noise of dogs barking because it was sound asleep when the mutts let me know there was something going on. The cat just knew they couldn't get to it. Could have cared less about the dogs or the photographer.