Quick temp fence repair. Someone long ago didn’t set the fence posts in concrete so they’ll all rotting out. It’s time for a new rear fence. Cross braced it up on the other side with a long 2x4. Empty lot behind us fortunately.

Long time followers know I cannot not take the opportunity to photograph a mantis.

If you use recent Fujifilm camera (e.g. X100V), they have neat film simulations. I’ve made a iOS 15 Shortcut that’ll get the film sim from EXIF of a Fujifilm JPEG. Handy if you need a quick reminder about what film sim you used. Doesn’t yet work on B&W and sepia sims.

Last night the clouds and last light of the sun put on a good show.

orange and pink light off the bottom of clouds

Korean Fried Cauliflower.

Cooler weather today meant I could finally cleanup the backyard garden. I can’t believe how hardy pepper plants are. Most were still alive despite a few months of zero irrigation.

Good morning! The weather in Northern California is starting to feel like fall. 😍

I got a new stand-alone camera. I had forgotten just how powerful choosing your own f-stop is. Makes iPhone cameras feel cramped as they get faster and faster in the pursuit of “more light.”

Being up when it is dark now means we get to see The Infinity Toad.

I kept thinking that my elderberries are late waking up from summer dormancy but my log shows they wake up in early October. I’m impatient! 🌱

A Katydid visited and rested with us today.

Autumn.

Got 0.29” rain last night here in California 🤗 I’m quite happy that our rain gage survived the summer.

California fuchsias and hidden mantis in the front yard this morning.

Grapes are now turning to raisins but the birds still love them.

Mockingbird.

Really cool hearing a Spritualized song on Ted Lasso.

Our first grosbeak sighting! This is a Black-headed Grosbeak. It is eating our cultivated California native grapes.

I see Instagram is phasing me out as a user with their future requirement for date of birth. I can hardly trust anybody with that Personally Identifiable Information these days and certainly NOT FaceBook. Hope more people switch to Micro.blog.

If you live in California, please vote no on the recall of Governor Newsom. There’s literally no good reason to upend State government right NOW. Things are as good as they can be under the circumstances – frankly, better than I expected. He’s made mistakes but nothing fireable.