September Photo Scavenger Hunt

It's time to remember the hunt through September :)

Here's the compilation followed by individual photos:

Back to school ~ Although many students walk, ride their bikes to school, or are 'chauffeured', there is a convoy of school buses that reach in and out of the rural areas. Here's one driving students home, passing by the beach en route.

Football/soccer season: Soccer is big here, especially for the young ones, and I thought I might have some luck catching a practice or game, however all I came up with was an empty field with goal posts!

What's in my bag? What isn't in my bag? ;)   The most important thing about my everyday bag/purse is that it be practical and organized so I can find things. There are 3 zippered compartments. I spend a lot of time outdoors and like to have my hands free to take photos, therefore my bag has the option of being worn as a backpack.

Inside I have my cell phone, driving/sun glasses, ebook reader, wallet/purse, and a few odds and ends like Afterbite (in case of insect bites), small measuring tape, keys, comb, etc. Not too exciting, but it works for me :)

Relaxation:My first thought was  the deck where I spent many relaxing afternoons reading.

However, on one of my relaxing walks, I saw a beautiful blue dragonfly seemingly sunbathing for a fairly lengthy time, so he was chosen for the spot!

Harvest: There is a plethora of squash and gourds displayed in the farmers' markets:

A pile of things: I could have taken all the things from my bag and piled them up...or used this one with the sun spilling through the trees on someone's workpile:

Instead, I chose this colourful squash pile:

Desk/workplace: These days  I use my laptop, lounging on the couch with it, but I do have my PC still set up with its dual monitors like I had when I worked.

Public telephone: These seem to be a dying breed since most people carry cell phones, however I did find one on a wall in the village:

Something taller than me: So much to choose from! The other day I was driving through the countryside along one of my favorite stretches of farmland, and realized that the cattle were above eye-level ~ and looked taller than me:

Apples: I noticed these apples overhanging the trail in a Wildlife Conservation area quite close to the shore. Hopefully the wildlife will enjoy them :)

A road sign: This sign caught my attention and I don't even want to know what it means!

A view from above: At the very beginning of September, I hiked up a huffing steep hill and took a few photos of the views. Unfortunately, the weather was rather dull for picture taking ... although cooler for the hike. The trees on the right are Garry Oaks which you can read about here or here.

That's it for this month ~ Thanks to Kathy at Postcards from the P.P. for hosting this monthly challenge.  click here to see other link-ups of September photos

Fresh clean air!

Edit to add Jellyfish with spot-light adjustment after the original photo.

We had a stormy couple of days and nights ~ which stopped ferry traffic and produced power outages. Other than my bedroom screen window being blown off, twigs and branches rolling around on the roof and then scattered all over the lawn, I wasn't too disrupted. I took the opportunity to stay home and clean out some closets.

I also played around with a photo using Adrian's Seeing to Pictures post about spot- lighting and ended up with this -

Here is the original photograph ~

It was fun learning new techniques in the process. Thanks Adrian :)

Today, the sun returned and thankfully I escaped the possibility of doing inside chores ~ I had some shopping to do, and thought I'd stop in at my new favorite place on the way home.

The wind and rain had reorganized the seashore and path through the wetlands and woods, and left an amazing freshness mixed with autumn smells ~ I couldn't stop taking deep breaths and sighing with contentment.

My afternoon ~

Panorama from a bench that I found!

Other views:

I noticed that the colourful leaves I took a photo of last time in the wind, had survived the storm intact, and looked prettier than ever!

Other fall foliage:

The first peninsula I visited has an area that is covered in broken shells, mostly oyster shells making for a crunchy walk, but luckily I was watching where I was going otherwise I might have slipped on this.... yipes, a big orange jellyfish that the tide had left behind! I wonder if that's its autumn look ;)

Photo with spot-light adjustment.

As usual, there were many small birds flitting around, but this heron is the only feathered creature that stood still long enough to photograph!

I really enjoyed the afternoon walking and relaxing in this lovely spot. No sign or sound of the nattering nutter though, although the sounds of barking sea lions could be heard echoing across the water!

Windy, wet, and wild!

Sunday night and Monday - Storm warning in effect.
Wind light increasing to southeast 15 to 25 knots late this evening and to 30 to 40 before morning. Wind increasing to southeast 40 to 50 early Monday morning then diminishing to southerly 15 to 25 Monday afternoon. 

I think this has something to do with tropical weather originating in Hawaii and drifting our way ~ humid and warm mixed with blustery wind.

Saturday night was also very windy, followed by a torrential downpour Sunday morning. A quiet day inside I thought, ready to get on with some projects. However, just after lunch,  there seemed to be a break in the clouds, so I thought it would be a splendid opportunity to head back to my new favorite place. (see previous post). I had been reading more about the area, and discovered there was another park/beach I hadn't known about. I was about to investigate!

Before I left home, I had a wander around the garden, righting a plant that had been toppled, and realized I was not the only one checking out the neighbourhood ~ look who was just across from me ~


...and most probably the perpetrator of the chomped Hosta incident!

As I drove by the beach close to home, I noticed a two-poster ~ one gull and one heron.

It was blustery near my favorite place at the new location, and it wasn't long before I was back at the car getting my jacket. What a great place, though!

On one side of the point, the skies were much clearer, but clouds persisted, hanging over the mountain side.

A heron squawked from the tree tops and flew off ~

This seems to be a juvenile gull ~ (notice some deciduous trees beginning to change colour in the background)

Little birds were flitting in and through the tall grasses, but too quickly hidden for photographs.

Evidence of a succulent seafood meal ~

These colourful leaves were really being tossed about, clinging to their branches with sheer force of will ~

There was such varied scenery and vegetation and I hope to go again and have another good exploration around the point like today...

...before heading for an early supper at a nearby pub with great food!

Nature looks back!

When I go out in nature

to see what I can see,

it’s plain to see that nature

is looking back at me!

A pinniped played peek-a-boo

while hiding on a raft.

A chimaree was chattering

so loud, I had to laugh!

.

On September 20, I walked down to the beach (see my previous post with seal video), and noticed that Harzel was still sporting his summer foliage:

I headed down the path, noticing that some enterprising weeds had captured Autumn!

Once I arrived on the beach, the interaction with the seal made my day. I was surprised he didn't just dive into the water if he was bothered my presence. I choose to think he was playing :)

September 21 was also a beautiful day, and knowing that rain was forecast for the next few days, out I went! I returned to the Conservation area a few miles away which I think is my new favorite place. Here are two panoramas:

It was along the trail in these woods that the squirrel made itself known (video above).

In a past post I had taken a photo of a similar squirrel in an old growth forest. I assumed it was a red squirrel, and Adrian mentioned in his comment about the difference between the appearance of the red squirrel in the UK and here.   I am now thinking that my squirrels are probably Douglas Squirrels, also known as Chimarees!

I'll show more photos of this Conservation area in my next post.

Hide and Peek with a Pinniped

On my walk down to the beach today, a fellow on his way back mentioned to check out the raft and its occupant ~ and here's what happened ~



Link

Pot-heads plus...

Now where was I? Oh, yes, the choir boys... thanks for your great guesses and you will be able to tell by the following phone conversation that most of you hit it right on the head ;)

Of course I was leery about making an appointment! 

Catching up with Summer as she leaves some colour in the garden ~

but the skies are changing from blue to spockled

and the leaves are definitely showing tints of autumn ...

even the hydrangea is feeling and looking much cooler ~

When I go for my evening walk, I need to remember to head out earlier, as twilight approaches much sooner...

I rescued a Hot Cocoa Rose from shivering and brought it into the warmer kitchen ~

I have noticed the absence of birds and have even found a few unattached feathers!! Now, who might be responsible for this? I saw fur at the bottom of the back garden, took a photo and quickly went out to see what had decided to settle on a mat ....

Aha! Mr. Blue Eyes from the next road over...

A bit of an explanation about my lack of blogging ~ I start reading away at various blogs, get lots of ideas for replying and blogging, proceed to get carried away (see following picture), it gets too late, and nothing gets blogged or commented on!  Oh, and I'm still reading many downloaded books on my ereader!

Anyway, this is for John of Midmarsh Jottings who has a Macro Monday puzzle to solve, and I decided to play around in Photoshop this week. Of course, it's understandable that my answer is late because it was sent by...

Congratulations to Uphilldowndale on accomplishing 1000 posts on her terrific blog!

Thanks again to all who read and comment ~ please continue to do so ;)