Yup, it’s here. Time to change the wardrobe. That’s what nature is doing, right?
Kind of a melancholy time. All that stuff that gets left behind.
But still, it has its moments.
So we stick around for a while. Right?
RIGHT?
Fall Has Fallen
Going Around in Circles
The circle is such an attractive shape. Even if I had the ability to speculate why, I wouldn’t get into that here (books and books about it), but the ghost of all that speculation — geometric, psychological, occult and esoteric — hangs around it. Around, indeed. Around and around, circles draw the eye and they draw my eye, maybe more than most any shape.
Even when they’re not particularly beautiful, circles compel attention.
invoking all those ideas about them — unity, fullness, ripeness, oh we could go on and on.
and we could remark about their usefulness
but wouldn’t that be redundant?
and beside the point?
But the circle would still draw the eye.
Even when it’s not quite there.
A Farewell To Geese
Do I photograph geese a lot? I photograph geese a lot. Perhaps for the same reason people climb mountains or rob banks. They’re there. Or here. And then they leave, but only for a while. Despite their Canadian nomenclature, they don’t seem to like the pond as well when it’s frozen over. Which brings to mind a picture of a goose in ice skates. Never mind. I would certainly photograph that if it appeared. Meanwhile,
there’s what geese really do.
including hold up traffic. Ave, vale, guys. We look forward to seeing you again soon.
The Pond Again
Whatever the season, I like to go and look at the pond, and sometimes take its picture.
In the Fall, which is fast upon us here, it has a quality of stillness that’s different from other times of the year.
Some things are closing down. 
The geese will leave for a while, probably come back around March. And this picture (from a year ago) reminds me what’s coming.
It’s Not Over Yet
Summer, that is — here in the Northern Hemisphere, anyway. The days are still warm, the nights comfortable. Unless it’s raining, of course. There’s been a tendency for that this year. 
Fall is coming soon, but there’s still a lot to enjoy. Hmm. could be a metaphore….
WHAT?
Oh, just thinking about fall being nearly upon us here and therefore, winter soon. Maybe it’s because I have a little summer cold (in the head that is). I remind myself that half the world is right now awaiting spring.
Must be nice to have that next.
Yeah, I know robins aren’t everywhere. They just seem that way.
More About Geese
Early Spring Duende
(for Judy Longley)
I”m out here looking for Canada
Geese. Is that anything like
a wild goose chase? I only want
to shoot them with
my camera and think
about duende
as they stiff-walk on the dead
grass, take off wildly
honking, hit the water
awkward, put their heads in
the freezing cold and shake
their oily feathers like
trash. Wings tucked, necks erect,
two of them and a duck
arrow across this pond, where
the water, today,
is gray-green and winter’s mourning
still hangs
from the trees. They don’t know
I want their picture. If they knew,
they’d have no idea
why. These frequent tourists
are out looking for their life. I’d have
to say, so am I.
Duck, Duck, But Mostly Goose
One of the many delightful things about having a pond in the neighborhood is the way it attracts wildlife — in this case, the occasional duck, but mostly geese (of the Canada variety)
And sometimes turtles. They tend to lurk at the far end of the pond. The Geese and ducks seem to get along well.
despite the dominance of geese.
I haven’t had the privilege of seeing any duck babies either.
but the geese are clearly family-oriented.
And they do sort of take over the place.
The Pond of Summer
I call it a pond, but technically, it’s a “stormwater reclamation project.” It sits adjacent to several fairly high density (for the suburbs) living areas, including the apartment complex where I live. For those of us who live nearby, it’s a blessing of many kinds. I like to take its picture.
And then there’s the geese
For a while there, this spring, it seemed like the pond was a goner. They, the ubiquitous they, came in, put up a chain-link fence and proceeded to dig.
Nobody knew what they had in mind, but it didn’t look promising. Day after day, big trucks came in and out, carrying away dirt and stones. Pretty soon, it began to look like a field
and we began to wonder whether we should be resigning ourselves to another development going up or something equally non-aquatic. Then, Saturday, as I was driving up that road I noticed the chain-link fence was gone. I pulled over immediately, parked at the side, and ran to look. The pond was back.
Of course it looks a little ragged right now
but no complaints. Long live the pond!
Whaddya Mean Rosebuds? 