I’m starting to see these little signs around the yard. I’ll remain in denial about the cool mornings, the earlier-setting-sun, and the end of golf leagues (noooooooooooooooooo…). It’s these little signs around the yard that make me start to dread the coming of winter. At least Fall golf rates are here!

last few

ISO 400 @ 250 f/6.3
55mm

Chilly and cold here tonight – I’m hoping it’s not the first breath of Fall, but after this many years in Michigan… well, we’ll hold out hope for a warming spell yet.

Watching the rain hit the deck tonight reminded me of two things: gotta power wash again before it gets too cold, and I need to spray down more deck treatment.

rain

ISO 100 @ .4  f/7.1
250mm

Noted on a walk in the woods.

up

Caught the afternoon sunlight through water glasses. Note the flag on the glass?

glass

Today was gorgeous here in mid-Michigan (the frozen tundra). So today’s shot is another from the woods. I’m in denial about it, but this leaf suggests perhaps summer is coming to an end. It *was* 50 degrees at 6AM this morning. There’s still plenty of golf (my back is much better – thanks for the kind emails and suggestions) to be played this season, plenty of BBQs to attend, and many more days of wearing shorts to work. But August is coming to an end, and Fall can’t be far behind here in the north. Dag gummit.

summer’s last

ISO 800 at 320 f/8

I think it’s a dragonfly, but this might be a damselfly. I honestly ain’t good enough to tell the difference. Anybody?

dragonfly?

Taking a walk in one of the neighborhood parks when these fellas showed up.

where’s Artemis?

ISO 400 at 50 f/6.3

I did the unthinkable today; I turned down a free round of golf with some friends who’ve a coupon. My back is killing me from too much golf lately, so I had to be responsible and say thanks, but some other time. Ugh! To make myself feel better, I went out in the back to practice chipping. My chipping area – the red flag – is visible upside down in the glass planter here.

planter

Over our table

night lights

ISO 1600 at 80 f/5.6

In the midst of lining up a putt while playing in my golf league tonight, I saw this coin. If you don’t golf, you may not know about marking your golf ball on the putting green. Once on the putting surface, you may pick up your ball to clean it so long as you mark the spot – usually with a coin or some other small, flat object. When your turn to putt comes, you replace the ball, pick up your mark, and putt away. I spotted this coin on the green tonight and nearly fell out.

I grew up reading English sea novels. Captain Jack Aubrey, Doctor Stephen Maturin: they were friends in my youth.

I’m lining up a putt and I saw the coin pictured below marking my opponent’s ball on the green. No, that could not be what I think it is. Yup. I even got to hold it and have a close look.

This is a single, nearly worn down, piece of eight from 1677 he found while diving a wreck. Wow.

ball mark

ISO 400 at 13 f/6.3
55mm