Halloween

This yard on Douglas Ave. has lots of spooky stuff for tonight's trick-or-treaters, including a "Day of the Dead" motorcyclist -- and a piano on the porch!

Skywatch

Last night, right ahead of the storm, big clouds rolled past a Three Rivers factory building. This morning, after a night of rain and wind, most of the beautiful fall color leaves have been washed to the ground.


Look up; there are all sorts of things going on there, and you can see more at Skywatch Friday.

Nosferatu

Last night, just in time for Halloween, the Riviera Theater played Nosferatu, the 1921 German Expressionist vampire horror film, still scary after all these years. It was an amazingly good print, the tints still visible, and best of all, music composed and performed by Blue Dahlia. I had a front row seat, and took this picture of musicians and monster during the film (click small photo for larger view.)

The avant-garde musical association Blue Dahlia has been writing original scores for silent movies for about ten years, and has performed around the eastern US. The music is a fusion of classical, jazz, and world music styles mixed with an awesome array of sound effects. What can you say about a group that has both a banjo and a didgeridoo? If they are ever performing in a city near you, don't miss them! Website: http://www.bluedahlia.com/

Tree with Matching House

This house on Garden Street seems to have been painted to match the beautiful fall color of the small tree beside it.

Hidden Marsh in Pink and Yellow

It warmed up some so I took my canoe out on the Portage River and Took this shot while paddling past the Hidden Marsh Sanctuary in Three Rivers, a nature preserve of the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy. A little shaky - hard to photo with one hand while steering clear of a sand bank with the other! The pinks are dogwood, and the yellow, a maple; an enormous oak with gold-brown leaves hovers above all.

Fall Color in Black & White

The saturated colors of fall are still occupying my sight and photos, so for my monochrome this week I went for more leaves. These are of cranberry viburnum, hanging over the Portage River. The fruits are the size and color of cranberries, but aren't edible - not even the squirrels will eat them. The plant is indigenous here, though, so it is odd that nothing eats it!

Somehow the leaves, which are now yellow and pink, seem more translucent than when they were green. I think using b&w brings this out.

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The Monochrome Weekly has more of the world in monocrome; take a look at http://monochromeweeklytheme.blogspot.com/.

Farmers Market

A drizzly, windy day found the vendors at the Three Rivers Farmers Market hanging tarps behind their stalls in the Farmers Market Pavilion. Lots of apples in bushel baskets, Northern Spy, Cortland, and some other heirloom varieties, along with chestnuts, squash, and all sorts of pumpkins. Worth braving the chill for!

Here are some of the Amish baked goods and pickles also on sale. Next to this table, a couple sells their own local farm-raised meats.


My 100th Daily Photo!