penguin posing

It was a treat to see the animals during an early morning visit to the Philadelphia Zoo.

Visiting the penguins is always fun.

autumn oak

I can see the transition to autumn in oak leaves that remain on trees. They move from pure green to pure brown with interim stages in yellow and red.

It's funny, I don't remember seeing oak leaves wearing red and yellow in past years.

afternoon clearing

It was late afternoon when blue sky started peeking through the clouds.

wet

A nor'easter passed through the area yesterday and today bringing wet, windy, and chilly conditions.

I managed a reasonable length exercise walk each day in spite of the rain. Today's walk was mostly misty while yesterday's was wet.

Instead of a photo of today's wet and gray I leave you with a memory of warmth and butterflies.

stacked

Large & small pieces of granite are scattered along the coast in Halibut Point State Park. The location includes remnants of a granite quarry that operated on Babson Farm from 1840 to 1929.

Visitors sometimes create stacks of rocks (known as rock cairns), selecting locations above the high tide line for longer life.

layered color

As I looked across the Shawsheen River on a clear autumn day I saw layers of color. It ranged from the blue of the sky to the green of evergreens and on to the red and orange or autumn leaves. The colors repeated in a reflection.

looking out

Yesterday was a good day to walk in Halibut Point State Park. Changing leaves highlight the visual divide between the quarry pool and the ocean.

a single leaf

A fallen maple leaf is caught in the branches of another tree.

What a beautiful splash of red!

solo

A single dahlia stands tall, creating simple beauty.

still waters

Late afternoon light created a painting in the still waters of a pond in Harold Parker State Forest. The reflection of a tree wearing autumn colors was pure magic.