Squirrels, fungi and close encounters! A few personal highlights from October 2023, captured in tiny wee snapshots.
This is my latest monthly selection of snapshots of things that caught my eye over these past few weeks, comprising the month of October 2023.
Saturday 30 September 2023: Of moonlight and sunrise
When full moon meets streetlight!
Somewhat spectacular Saturday sunrise sky!
Sunday 1 October 2023: Somewhat sinister sunflower
After the sun.
This image of a blackened and generally rather past-its-prime sunflower head in my garden inspired me to write a blog post, which included the following words:
“Each autumn, the sun falls away again, in some senses bringing an end to the times of abundance and growth. But the hints of new life yet to emerge are there, all the same.”
Tuesday 3 October 2023: The squirrel sees all
Squirrel in tree in profile.
Wednesday 4 October 2023: Seeds
Sunflower heads, drying out in my greenhouse to provide sustenance for the birds over winter.
Thursday 6 October 2023: Skies of fleeting beauty
Another somewhat stunning sky, perhaps even more eye-opening than Monday’s (see above). I was lucky to get the picture of this fleeting moment of beauty. I went to look at the sky a minute after this picture was taken, in the hope that it might have become even more spectacular. Alas, all had transformed to drabness in the space of but a moment.
Friday 7 October 2023: Close encounters of the free kind
Whilst walking up the hill to meet and accompany my wife on her amble home, I passed a house with a box of “free – please take” films outside on the street. I was delighted to find the above copy of the Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition) Blu-ray in there…. which, come to think of it, I still haven’t actually watched yet! Reader: I will remedy this!
8 October 2023: Spores, moulds and fungus
Of mushrooms and moss.
10 October 2023: Doubly webbed
When two spider webs overlap, but don’t interweave.
11 October 2023: Great circle completed
I finally arrived at the end of this magnificent journey of a book, Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead… and after nearly 700 pages, I didn’t want it ever to end.
Just beautiful writing, and such an engrossing story. Highly recommended.
I have to thank my lovely friend Tony Jackson for recommending this book way back at Christmas last year… and I am kicking myself for not reading it sooner. Thank you, Tony!
Saturday 21 October 2023: A momentary rainbow
Really rather rainbowy! Well, it was for about half a minute, in a day otherwise dominated by downpours…
Your snapshots
What about you, gentle reader? What has made or is making your month memorable? I would love to know! Post a comment below, or @ me on the social medium of your choice (Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Instagram, even X/Twitter if you’re still on there…).
May you be nothing but kind today, to others and to yourself.
May today be nothing but kind to you and yours.
IMAGES
- All photography by MJCarty.
MJCarty 