Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - August 25, 2013

Happy Sunday morning, world! Welcome to my off television topic weekly reflection on the week gone by in both words and photographs I've taken along the way. If you're looking for Big Brother show or live feeds posts, you can find the latest at this link. This here post is done weekly throughout the year and is, as labeled, off topic. Hey, that's how I roll. You've been warned.

That said, I can't believe we still have about another month of Big Brother! I've gone around feeling like a zombie for weeks. There's but a small group of us who have had blogs or websites covering the show for years. Others show up, last a season or two, then fall off the radar. Yet, those of us who have covered it for years are almost like a family. I found out from That Dingo (hamsterwatch.com) that one of our own, DogDave (a.k.a. Aldav), who has done fantastic work on his website over the years, suffered a massive stroke this past January. Unlike many trying to struggle to make a living with the websites, I have a "real" job with real health insurance. I don't think he does. If you are a show fan still reading this off topic post, check out the link above. DogDave has been a constant all the years I've blogged. He followed this blog and we're Twitter buddies although I noticed he stopped tweeting sometime over the winter. Very sad news indeed.

On more of the local really off television topic stuff -- someone stole my newspaper this morning. I only get the Sunday paper hard copy as it allows me full online daily access at the website. I didn't get the paper delivered before that because someone would steal them. I'm usually up by five and generally have no problem because what other fool is up at five on a Sunday morning around here? I overslept today. Went down at 6:30 for it. It wasn't there. I suppose the delivery dude may have screwed up, but I'm fairly sure someone stole it. Yeah, I'm cynical like that. Grr.

We had a few 90 degree days, one day of torrential never-ending thunderstorms -- I can't recall thunderstorms lasting for hours and hours like that -- then it went back to my kind of weather. Cool overnights, low humidity, temperatures around 80. I wouldn't even mind a few degrees cooler. Come on, fall ... you know I love you!

I'm counting the days until my next staycation, the third week in September. It lines up with the Feast of San Gennaro week in Little Italy (NYC). So, dependent on weather, I might go there for a day. Whatever I do, I know I will get some rest. Woohoo. I forgot what that's like.

Onto the photos I took this week ... 

As the sun sets

I took this shot last night upon arriving home from work. Well, not home home. I don't live at the Plainfield Train Station. The days are definitely getting shorter.

What says summer better?

But it's definitely still summer! The sunflowers seem to be blooming more, yet smaller blossoms than I've seen some years. East Front Street, Plainfield.

**CLICK THE 'READ MORE' LINK TO SEE THE REST OF THE PHOTOS**

Crow large and in charge

This crow was guarding the Chotola apartment building on North Avenue on Saturday morning.

WITH THE RAIN COMES ... 'shrooms!

Mushroom on a tree trunk

Plainfield Train Station

Mushroom in the grass

East Front Street, Plainfield

Stinkhorn mushrooms

Bridgewater Promenade Shopping Center

Mushroom in the graveyard

Cemetery at the Friends Meeting House. Church Street, Plainfield

***************************

Empty nest?

Yet when I shook the fence, a few yellow jackets swooped down out of nowhere. I apologized and left them alone. Bridgewater Train Station.

Always sporting unique accessories

He cracks me up. Remember, he did propose marriage the one time I talked to him. I can't help but wonder what his story is. He seems sober and intelligent, yet he's a bit "out there." Harmless for sure. Bound Brook Train Station.

Man vs. Nature

Bridgewater Train Station.

Shooting the moon

Yet again, I missed the full moon itself by a day or so. But I love the challenge of a good moon shot from a point and shoot digital camera!

Is that a spider?

I saw movement out of the corner of my eye as I passed a bush on Berckman Street in Plainfield.

Yes. Yes, it is a spider.

Why, yes! I believe it's some sort of orb weaver. It wasn't as tiny as Venus the spider I photographed last year and more yellow than green. But it seems to be of the same family. Although it looks big and scary, it's probably less than a half-inch including its legs.

It's the Year of the Snail

Yet another snail

I still can't believe that I'm seeing these so often now after nearly twenty years of not seeing a garden snail in New Jersey. I KNOW they haven't been here all along at the Bridgewater Train Station. I spend so much time looking for stuff to shoot that no way would I have missed them.

Taking a nap

You can see the "glue" they make to stick them to objects. During the heat wave in July it cemented them to objects, sealing them to their doom. I wiggled this one; it's fine. Yet it did remain there the next day, too. I'll check to see if it's still in place tomorrow.

Another snail on the hand railing

This one was the smallest I've seen yet.

***************************

Flowers in the air

East Front Street, Plainfield.

Flowers on the ground

Roosevelt Avenue, Plainfield.

Here's lookin' at ya, kid!

THIS is why snails couldn't be missed by me at the Bridgewater Train Station. Heck, I shoot flies on leaves!

Different day, different fly

Maybe it's the same fly. I don't really know.

Here comes the train

Heading off to another day in paradise ... a.k.a. - work.

Somebody in this post is a cat

Yes, Vincent. You are a CAT. You'll always be the CAT. I am the human. No matter how much you throw yourself down on your back and try to play dead or look adorable, I still have to leave the apartment at times.