Red red rose hips.

I confess that this photo is a little outdated; all the leaves seem to have suddenly dropped off the trees in the past week, and my photo collection is having a bit of difficulty keeping up with the times.

Abandoned parking lot at the Cedar Drive School in Colts Neck.

It’s a little eerie–before Daylight Savings, you couldn’t FIND a place to park at 6:45, ‘cos there was a soccer game (or something) going on. People had to park illegally or circle the lot until someone finally left.

I’ve always called these things mock oranges, but they’re NOT. They’re MOCK mock oranges!

Okay, they’re just plain osage-oranges.

But they’re as big as pomelos, and they’re lying all over the Joe Palaia Park extension!

Rain on a car hood.

Yes, it’s raining again.

As an added bonus, we’ve got some fog.

Walking through the parking lot, some squawking caught my ear.

As I was walking along, I saw an old hollow tree stump.

And something in the tree stump caught my eye.

It was fungus #10!

I like fungi.

I read the definition for lead room after I composed this shot, so… dang. But these beetles, which are almost as big as the first two joints of your pinkie, have been crawling around Joe Palaia Park for several weeks. Judging by their prominence, they must be some sort of invasive pest, but I’m not entirely sure of the species.

Edit: I think it’s a rove beetle.

I thought this was cute.

……why yes, I am the creepy sort of person who takes photographs of the backs of children when their parents aren’t looking. How observant of you!