Today would have been Cee’s 64th birthday. She left us last March, but so many of us in the blogging world remember her fondly along with the photography challenges she used to host. Now otherbloggers have continued her challenges and have asked us to honor Cee on her birthday.
From the Flower a Day to the Black and White Challenge many of us participated. For years I enjoyed going out weekly in search of something to meet one of Cee’s challenges. The chance to find something new to shoot was so much fun. And I was always flattered when she chose one of my photographs as a winner of that week’s challenge.
In reality we were all winners in Cee’s eyes. She supported us with enthusiasm and kind words, often sharing our work with her readers. It felt like an honor just to be noticed by Cee.
So, today, in honor of Cee’s birthday I’ve posted a black and white image. She and I shared the love of old barns, and I think they are the perfect images to process in black and white. This one is up in Northern Michigan, and one I probably used in one of her black and white challenges.
Happy Birthday, Cee. I, along with a whole lot of other people, miss you. I bet you’re out with your camera right now, finding extraordinary things to shoot. I hope while you’re busy doing that you also see all the birthday wishes and hugs floating up to you.
In fact I imagine you’re surrounded with them. What a great image that would be.
First was Robin who took us back to look at Octobers past with her beautiful photographs of places she enjoyed taking Walktobers over the years. She always takes such luminous photographs, you’ll enjoy going back in time with her. https://breezesatdawn.wordpress.com/2025/10/10/a-different-kind-of-walktober/
Then along came Jo, who is from Portugal but who took us for a walk in Torun, Poland! I love when people from all over the world join us for Walktober! Most of us would never see these places without wonderful people sharing them with us. https://stillrestlessjo.com/2025/10/06/jos-monday-walk-torun/
And then Karma decided a beautiful, warm, October weekend was just begging for a trip to Maine, so she and a friend went! Talk about the perfect couple of days! After reading this you’re all going to want to go to Maine for the weekend! https://karmardav.wordpress.com/2025/10/12/an-impromptu-getaway/
Penny the sheltie-girl wanted to make sure you all had a chance to see one of her parks, so she took you to Davis Lake Overlook Park, not far from our home. It was a beautiful October Sunday and she and I had a wonderful time. https://dawnkinster.com/2025/10/13/penny-takes-a-walk/
Penny here,I made my mom include a picture of me here.
Barbara took us to The North Carolina Museum of Art, where she found beautiful asters and goldenrod and a few pretty insects as well as a larger than life resident of the park surrounding the museum. https://www.ingebrita.net/2025/10/sunlight-over-the-meadow/
Debbie took Walktober to a new level, the epitome of ‘walk, drive, skip, boat, or ride!” She took us to a train museum and then we get to ride the train!https://domermom.com/2025/10/19/walktober-2025/
Mike took us to Calloway Gardens, a very special place in Georgia, no matter the season. He’s from a Northern state, so fall in the South is a bit different for him, and it’s probably different for a lot of us, so let’s go see what he found! https://mlcreationsphotography.com/2025/10/19/walktober/
For me, well, I was lucky enough to spend a week in upper Michigan, in a home along the shore of Lake Michigan itself. I shared the cats I was hanging out with and took a stroll in the small village up there. https://dawnkinster.com/2025/10/19/cats-in-northport-and-other-tales/ But after I did that post I decided it wasn’t really my official Walktober.
Eliza Waters found some beautiful color on her walk. She and her dog Wren took a lovely walk on their very own land. You can see for yourself here just what a beautiful place it is they live: https://elizawaters.com/2025/10/21/walktober-2025/
My personal Walktober was at one of my favorite places in the whole world. I debated quite a bit while I was up there whether to do my official Walktober on the beach. In the end, how could I not? https://dawnkinster.com/2025/10/23/dawns-beachy-walktober/
Penny and I hope you enjoyed all these Walktober adventures. She said I should include a picture of her and since I’m a mere sheltie servant I will.
I have the worrisome feeling I missed somebody’s Walktober. I’ve checked and double checked but I still feel like somebody got left out. So if you did a Walktober and I didn’t include it here, comment on this post and I’ll do a quick edit and get you in!
As you read before Mom scheduled us to participate in rally trials (dog stuff) for two consecutive Fridays in a row! Oh wait. Mom says “consecutive” means the same as “in a row.” Whatever, mom.
Anyway, last week I got two legs (I need 3 to title) with a couple of sloppy runs. Mom was hoping a week off from training would help me settle down. That maybe I was just overtired last week.
Hmmmmm. Interesting theory.
Waiting in my crate for another rally trial!
So yesterday, October 31st, we went to the place I go to school to do 2 runs. Mom thought I’d be more comfortable there and hopfully earn one run and thus my Intermediate Rally Trial title. Mom had high hopes when I seemed happy and bouncy as we were waiting.
And she was happy that the course for the first run didn’t look too difficult.
What could go wrong?
Is it my turn yet mom?
We warmed up in a little room off to the side. I sat and downed and fronted perfectly. At the end of the warmup mom gave me one measly treat.
Then it was our turn.
We walked into the ring and I refused to sit next to mom. She walked me around in a little circle and tried again and I sat. Reluctantly. Mom knew right then she was in for trouble.
So around the ring we went, I’d do any sign that didn’t include sitting or going into a down. There were a LOT of signs that asked me to sit. Eventually I would concede and sit, but mom would have to ask me multiple times. And the down? Not happening, nope, not at all. There were supposed to be two of those.
The lady following behind with the clipboard kept making notes and mom got increasingly sad.
Mom says this quote was at the park just for her.
When we got out of the ring mom gave me my jackpot because, she said, I had done the best I could. We ended up with a 79 (you need 70 to qualify) which is my lowest score ever.
But we got my title, even though mom said she wasn’t proud of the way we did it. Then she elected not to do the second run cause I always do worse on my second run, and besides she was exhausted and sad.
So she took me to a park on our way home and we walked around a loop to remember that we loved each other and tomorrow will be another day and we’re going to keep working on stuff together.
Cause we’re a team.
Most of the pictures here were from our post-trial walk at the park.
In the world of blogging friendships are made. Some people, mostly not bloggers, don’t believe people who only know each other online can be considered friends. But I’ve been writing blog posts since 2008, and I’ve made several good friends. A few I’ve even met in person. Either way, on-line or in person, they’ve all been important to me.
Trent was one of those blog writers I’ve never met in person. But I’ve read his blog, Trent’s World, and he’s read mine, for several years. This week we learned that he died unexpectedly on October 5th. It’s a huge shock. He was only 61, will always be 61, though his 62nd birthday is today.
He ran several times a week with friends, he kayaked when he was on Cape Cod. He walked his dogs daily, and had just gotten a puppy. His beloved boxer, Fiyero, died unexpectedly on September 10th, so he was glad to have a new puppy, named Ledecky, in the house again. Though he did say puppy Ledecky was, of course, a lot of work.
Picture from Trent’s blog, Fiyero and Ledesky the new puppy.
He wrote music and books, was taking singing and drumming lessons. He played trumpet and keyboard, and probably other instruments as well. He was reading a math book for fun. Yes, a math text book.
He had retired recently and was obviously enjoying his time free from work. I wish he had had many more years to enjoy all of his hobbies, his pets, his friends and his family.
Trent was always one of the first people to comment on a new post, and he always responded when you commented on his. Last November he was the first person to donate to my Giving Thursday Facebook page, as I raised funds for the Truck Safety Coalition in honor of my dad.
Trent posted twice a week, once to talk about his week, in a “If We Were Having Coffee,” where we guessed whether he was in New Hampshire or Cape Cod, and another post to talk about a smile he had enjoyed during the week, in “The Weekly Smile.”
Trent’s last blog post was October 4th, a coffee sharing post saying he was in New Hampshire. He responded to a comment on that post early in the morning of the 5th.
Nothing about any of this prepared us to lose him, and I imagine his wife and family are having a terrible time with the shock as well.
So, even if you never read Trent’s blog, please pause for a moment and think about his friends and family. I’m sure they could all use the good thoughts. I’m hoping he is with his Fiyero now, running on a beach, perhaps along with other pets and family and friends.
And I think what we could all do in his honor is share a smile. Even if it’s not every week, let’s share the things in our lives that make us smile. Trent made us smile, let’s keep the smiles going. I think he’d like that.
The next to last sentence in his last blog post: “Anyway, that is about it, I need to be on my way.”
Now he has gone on his way, much too soon.
Rest easy, Trent. (link to his obituary) You were a good guy and we will miss your writing and singing and music and short stories and books. We’ll miss hearing about your runs and your pups. Thank you for all the support you showed us, your detailed comments, your extra input when we needed it, your donations to causes that matter to us.
I was collecting seeds from my zinnias this week, cutting spent heads, tossing them into a paper bag to dry. Slowly processing the loss of summer. Preparing for our long winter.
And then a bit of light, there at my feet, caught my eye.
The nasturium leaves, round and beautiful on their own even before the orange and yellow blossoms peek out, were glowing in the last of the day’s sun.
I stood still and thought how much I wanted to hold onto this moment, this bit of sunlight, these bright colors. How I wanted time to slow down even as, for me, it’s moving faster and faster.
I stood there watching the light on the leaves and blossoms for a few moments and then I did what every photographer does. I ran to the house for a camera.
And that’s why I take so many photographs. It’s to slow time, to help remember the thoughts and feelings of a specific moment. So that later on, when winter is getting old and we haven’t seen the sun in days, I can look at this image and remember the heat on my shoulders and the warmth in my soul.
I’ve been very busy, and let me tell you, mom says it’s been a roller coaster ride. I don’t even know what a roller coaster ride is, but I’m pretty sure it’s exciting. Right? I thought so.
My park trying to scare me. It’s not going to work.
Anyway, many of you know that I’ve been training in this thing called Rally. Frankly if you ask me there’s not much to it and I don’t know why mom needs all this training. If she paid better attention we could move on to something more fun a lot sooner.
Me in my basement with all these Rally signs to figure out.
Basically, she heels around a course and there’s a lot of signs with writing and yellow arrows and red stop signs and stuff and she’s supposed to follow the signs. I go along too, just to make sure she does it right.
Sometimes she reads the signs all wrong. This is not my fault.
Mom? Can you just concentrate more?
Anyway, on Friday we went to a thing called a Trial. I guess it’s a big test to see if mom has learned anything. We were entered in two runs. Mom said she hoped we’d qualify in at least one. We need three qualifying runs to earn a title at whatever level we’re working on. Right now we’re in Intermediate. At that level mom still has to be on a leash because she isn’t reliable yet.
We’re working on it but she’s pretty unpredictable.
There sure were a lot of dogs there!
Well, Friday we had to wait hours and hours for them to get to Intermediate. No exaggeration. When it was finally my turn I was pretty tired of hanging around and I didn’t want to supervise. In the ring I didn’t want to sit when mom asked me. So I stood and stared at her for awhile while she stared back at me and asked me again. Several times. Then I s.l.o.w.l.y lowered my behind. To make my point, you know, that I was in charge.
We ended up qualifying but mom said it wasn’t pretty and the judge lady was very generous. No matter, I was happy, I even got 2nd place!
These are my ribbons. I am not sharing them with mom.
The second run was similar to the first only there was more of me staring at her, pretending I had no idea what a ‘sit’ was. A couple of times I decided not to sit at all and mom sighed and moved on. We still qualified, but had an even lower score.
Mom was just relieved we had two legs toward my title.
That was Friday. Mom and I were exhausted. Saturday we were signed up to do a ‘fun run’ at another dog training facility. This is the place I go to school, so mom figured it would be OK.
Seriously, mother?!
And even though we were both tired mom packed me up and we went there and did two more runs, during which I showed my displeasure at having been rousted from my bed to follow mom around some more. I mean, if she hasn’t got it by now, I don’t think making me work on it more is going to help, do you?
Enough is enough, mother!
THEN, Saturday evening is our normal Rally class, and mom packed me up AGAIN and we went to do what is usually a fun class. But I wasn’t having it. I refused to sit AT ALL at ANY SIGN no matter what it or mom said.
Even when she pulled up on my collar or pushed down on my behind, or both.
Today mom is worried because we’re registered in a trial this coming Friday. Mom thought the hard stuff was over because we only need one leg of the two runs we’re scheduled for, and she figured, since it is in my own school, I’d do better.
Now she doesn’t know if we should even go.
I’m not worried.
Everybody has advice and it’s all different. Mom is just tired. I’m tired too. Mom says she’s going to work on repairing our relationship cause I was pretty mad at her during class last night. She says we’re not going to train this week, we’re just going to hang out together so that I remember I love her. And she loves me.
I’ll think about it.
Don’t tell her, but as she was typing this I got up off the sofa where I had been napping and came and went back to sleep on top of her foot. That’s because I already know I love her and she loves me. But I’ll let her be nice to me this week. It’s important that mom thinks she’s in charge.
As for what I’ll do next Friday? That’s the mystery, isn’t it.
While I was cat sitting in northern Michigan I considered where to take you on the annual Walktober. I didn’t want to waste the fact that I was in northern Michigan, and you can’t get a better location for a Walktober than that.
Lake Michigan was pulling at me to take you on a beach walk. But many years ago I did exactly that, and if I can find it I’ll add the link to that post here. (You really should go look at it, it was an entirely different sort of day!)
I didn’t want to repeat myself. You might be bored with another walk along the same beach.
Of course back than I and the friend who lives here had wandered north. I could always take you south this year. As I stared at the lake on a warm Saturay morning that seemed like the perfect solution.
Until I got down to the dune above the lake.
A wedding was happening just to the south of me. Sure, I could walk past it. I mean people were actually swimming at the public beach right there. But I didn’t want to infringe on their moment. So I turned north.
After all, that last beachy Walktober was a long time ago. And every beach walk is different, right?
So off I went toward that point just up the way a bit.
I was immediately drawn to a footprint in the damp sand. I thought about how transient our footsteps are. How fleeting our whole lives are.
The waves were already lapping at the footprint, ready to erase it forever. I spent a long time photographing that footprint, wondering who had been there just before me.
There were plenty of other pretty things to photograph along the way. It must have rained the night before, or maybe even just before I left the house.
There were soft little sandy divots everywhere. It looked and felt something like a moon landscape.
It was a beautiful day, the sun was out, the cloudless sky was a deep blue. And on the beach were other signs of beings who had gotten outside to enjoy the day long before I had.
I wondered what kind of little animal had scurried across the beach that morning. And then I wondered what made it decide to go in a different direction.
I kept going straight, along the shore, noticing the way the light bounced off the water…
…and off a railing creating modern art on the beach.
Resting kayaks were waiting for another trip out on the lake this season, and I imagined them glad of the warm fall day, just like I was.
Chairs were waiting patiently for their people to rest and watch another sunset.
But mostly I was watching the water and the sand in front of me as I approached my destination, the point.
The lapping waves, sliding over the sand was making the most beautiful art.
And it had left behind sadly beautiful artifacts too.
And of course there were those footprints, always a step ahead of me, combining with the sand art, moving steadily forward.
As in life, once you reach your destination point you always see another point in the distance. Maybe instead of turning around I should head toward that new point, way up there.
There was bound to be more to see.
But as I got closer to that far away point I noticed someone playing with her dog.
And I thought maybe it was best to leave them be, just as I had let the wedding be. Bookmarked by a dog’s play and a wedding day, I was happy with what I had seen on my Walktober. I hope you enjoyed it too.
Oh…and the footprints… those I had been following on my slow walk north?
The owner of the prints came back toward me and we exchanged pleasantries about what a beautiful day it was and then she continued on her walk heading south toward home.
And I did the same.
There’s still time for you to get a walk in, post about it and link it to the Official Walktober post. I’ll gather them all up and do a recap post in early November. We can’t wait to see where you’ve been!
I spent a week at the beginning of October in Northport Michigan. It was an idyllic week, filled with brilliant blue skies, warm temperatures, aqua water and cats.
On the way, this was the most color I saw all week.
I was there to hang out with a couple of mischievous cats that belong to friends of mine who were taking some time to travel. They were off having fun and I was having fun in their space and with their cats.
A moment of peace before the crazy.
The cats, a boy and a girl, were adorable and I have more pictures of them than the beautiful place I was living.
You’re not looking at me…are you?
I can tell you that cats are as hard to photograph as birds. You see a great image, grab your phone and by then they have moved. Multiple times.
Don’t bother me, I’m hunting.
The best and easiest time to photograph cats is when they’re asleep.
Snoring next to my buddy.
Which, if I’m honest, they did almost as much as they caused mischief.
I like to match my backdrop.
Aside from the cats I also got to enjoy the beautiful area.
Though I didn’t go on long nature walks this trip, I did wander around the village of Northport, looking for color.
Above the road on the way into downtown.
After all, this could be my Walktober, showing you the cute little town of Northport is, right?
Color, color everywhere.
There were plenty of flowers still blooming. I was particularly smitten with these California poppies, blooming away on a corner.
Hanging on into fall.
And the asters were beautiful as well. Purple and pink, blooming in front of storefronts.
Seasonal color.
Though the downtown itself is only a few blocks long I found plenty of interesting stuff to photograph.
Unsure why a skunk, but he demanded to be photographed.
It’s a tiny town, but it’s also a close knit community.
If I liked beer I would have stopped in.
I think it’s probably a town where everybody pretty much knows everybody else. I didn’t talk to anyone during my visit, I just wandered and took pictures.
Not open the day I was wandering or I definitely would have stopped in.
It was so warm it felt like a lovely summer afternoon. There were lots of people out and about, waiting in line for pizza, sitting at outdoor dining areas of restaurants.
Come sit for a minute and enjoy the October sun.
While I got images of most of the village, I know that I missed at least an entire block, as well as the marina. Of course that just gives me an excuse to go back up for another visit soon!
Come on up and sit for awhile!
I hope you enjoyed our short walk through Northport.
When I left, very early on a Tuesday morning (in order to get home in time to attend band rehearsal) it was still dark.
I was taken by the glowing orbs in the trees as I entered town.
I loved the reflections in the puddle.
And then I walked around the darkened streets and caught a few more images of Northport asleep.
Resting before the next round of customers.
I liked doing that as much as I had enjoyed my daylight walk.
Only the witch, the full moon and I were out and about that morning.
I hope you did too.
So..was this my Walktober? I don’t know. There’s another one to show you, but I don’t have the photos ready to go yet. We’ll see.
Meanwhile you still have a couple weeks to do your very own Walktober. Take a walk, a drive, a ride, a hop, skip or jog. Take a photo or two or three, write a post and link it to the official Walktober post (see link above) and I’ll put them all together in one place in early November.
Change Is Hard 