celosia spicata

On what promises to be a very gray and rainy day I bring you a splash of pink.

After a shorter than expected web search I found that this beautiful flower is named celosia spicata.

turning tide

As the tide turned a nice swath of beach became a walking playground for people and sea gulls.

Crane Beach, Ipswich, MA

acorns falling

My walking path this evening took me under several oak trees. As I walked I heard the sound of acorns falling. Do you think the falling acorns were a sign of the season, or were the squirrels throwing them at me?

waiting

I think this red wagon is waiting for a child to take it for a ride.

at Circle View Ranch in Interior, SD

emerging

Most of the trees here are still wearing green but there are pockets of leaves showing a pop of color.

brrr...

I don't know what told me to change my (bed's) warm-season light fleece throw to a warm comforter last night but I'm glad that something triggered the change. I woke up to find that some of the chilly outside 38 degree air had crept in through my still open windows; luckily I was burrowed under the warmth of my comforter.

Brrr!

a walk on the beach

Today's sun and chilly air drew me to Crane Beach for a walk along the water. I arrived about an hour after high tide; that provided a reasonable walking surface.

The ocean was active and the wind was strong. A few sea gulls joined humans in walking down the sandy beach.

More photos from my walk can be seen in the gallery coastal Massachusetts :: 2015 starting with this photo and ending here.

I was fascinated when I read these words on a sign in the park:

Formed some 6,300 years ago, Crane Beach is part of a 22-mile chain of barrier islands stretching from Cape Ann to Great Boar's Head in New Hampshire.

curves

autumn color

This late summer flower is dressed in the colors of autumn.

equal night

Funny, I always thought that the day of the equinox was 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of dark. Apparently my understanding was a little off; sunrise today was at 6:32 AM and sunset at 6:40 PM, giving us a day that is 8 minutes longer than 12 hours. Hmm...

I went looking for information and found the page What is the September Equinox? It showed that the equinox at my location was today, September 23, 2015, at 4:22 AM. I found the definition interesting:

Sun Crosses Celestial Equator The September equinox occurs the moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator – the imaginary line in the sky above the Earth’s Equator – from north to south. This happens either on September 22, 23, or 24 every year. information courtesy of www.timeanddate.com