Robert Snap Spot

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  • Being Corny about Fall

    Being Corny about Fall

    Robert smiles in the kitchen while holding a large, colorful platter piled with ears of corn in their husks.

    ROBERT SNAP SPOT

    Being Corny about Fall

    Humor and warm memories about a turkey platter fill the kitchen.

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    Humor – Changing Seasons – Good Eats

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    A Gratitude Platter

    A large platter painted with a turkey rests above white kitchen cabinets against a pink wall.
    His thankful perch. Yes, we really do look up to him.

    October is here, and I wanted to welcome Fall into our kitchen with Neal’s family platter. His mom and dad served Thanksgiving and Christmas turkey on it for more than 30 years. Now it rests above our cabinets, on what I call its “thankful perch“.

    “That turkey platter has earned its view from up there.”

    – Robert

    Neal and I see it when we look up, and remember the food and family gatherings that have filled our lives. Today I asked him to bring it down. I had a favorite Fall vegetable waiting to make acquaintance.

    The Turkey’s New Assignment

    Neal brought down the platter, and I got my turn to hold up the family heirloom. Still beautiful and shiny! Look at that turkey! A real work of art… Ha! He was certainly ready for his close-up.

    Robert holds a large white platter beside his face; a colorful turkey fills its center, with vegetables and fruit painted around the rim.
    There he is—the bird who has had the best seat at decades of family dinners.

    Those bright colors have been part of a lot of family dinners.
    Today, the turkey was meeting our special guest, fresh Sweet Georgia Corn.

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    THIS WEEK I NOTICED

    Smile if You Love Fall

    Neal, wearing a red shirt, reaches above the kitchen cabinets toward the turkey platter.
    TIB: The foot ladder came out because I wanted this photograph. Thanks, Neal!

    While Neal reached up for the platter, I spotted that yellow smiley face (Mr. Happy) on our kitchen shelf. There I was, thinking about decades of family meals, and even the shelf seemed to be grinning at us. We try to keep joy and laughter in the home.

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    From Turkey to Corn

    Neal holds the painted turkey platter in front of himself in the kitchen, with his face visible above its rim.
    Neal presents the family platter, and I’m already planning its fall assignment.

    Past holidays had their turn on this platter at Neal’s parents’ table for so many years. When the platter, a Saye family keepsake, came to Neal, it brought those memories along.(TIB: I asked Neal to climb the kitchen foot ladder and pose for the blog. “Snap!” ) He gave the platter a proper presentation, too. Such a kind and dutiful husband!

    “Autumn has come. Corn, you’re up!”

    – Robert
    Robert looks down at the turkey painted on the large platter he is holding.
    I do believe the turkey is wondering what comes next.

    I took one more look at that painted turkey before we put the corn on his platter. Then I brought over four ears, husks and all. Yes, I thought we had room.

    In side view, Robert holds ears of corn in their husks beside the turkey platter on the kitchen counter.
    Four ears incoming. Sorry, turkey, no holiday break today.

    Once the sweet treat was in place, I had to lift the whole thing for a photograph. Welcome to the Saye-Smith kitchen, Autumn! I’ll try not to make you laugh too much while I celebrate your induction.

    In a wide kitchen view, Robert looks down while holding the colorful platter covered with husked ears of corn.
    One very big platter. Four ears of corn. A welcome for October.
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    Corn, Camera, Smile

    I meant to show you the corn. Then I started posing with it. Classic spontaneous Robert! Ok Neal, take more pictures please.

    Robert smiles toward the camera while holding ears of corn on either side of his face.
    Corn on both sides, smile in the middle.
    Robert holds several ears of corn in front of his face, leaving his glasses and part of his face visible above the husks.
    You can still see me. Barely.

    The ears moved a little closer to my face. Competing to be the focus. Hey! “Who’s the photoblogger here?”

    Ears of corn and their silk fill the foreground; Robert’s face is blurred behind them.
    The corn won this round.
    Robert holds four ears of corn up in front of his face, with only the top of his head and part of his glasses visible.
    Okay, now where did I go?

    There I am, somewhere behind those husks. I’ll call that a successful disguise. My narration may have given away the surprise.

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    A close view shows Robert smiling down at the platter and ears of corn near his face.
    I had to take one more look at our new centerpiece.

    I finally lowered the corn enough to show my face again.
    That platter has a new fall job, and I’m glad we brought it down.

    You may remember seeing it before in Walking in Yester-Year: Thanksgiving at a Park.

    Walking in Yester-Year: Thanksgiving at a Park
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    THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES

    Which meals live in yours?

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    Neal’s parents, no longer with us, passed this platter down to him, and now it has a place in our Saye-Smith home. I’d love to hear what comes to mind when you think of the meals your family shared.

    What dish brings back a family meal for you?

    “Fall calls us back to the table, the meals and the stories come with us.”

    — Robert

    📍 Savannah, Georgia

    Collection
    Humor, Changing Seasons, Good Eats

    Captured with
    iPhone 18Pro Max

    Published by
    Robert Snap Spot

  • Red Brick and Green Anole

    Red Brick and Green Anole

    A bright green anole clings to a red brick wall above patterned coleus leaves and a pale flower spike.

    ROBERT SNAP SPOT

    Red Brick and Green Anole

    Our sidewalk garden has a new neighbor.

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    Wordless Wednesday – Wildlife: Reptiles – Sidewalk Scene

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    Waiting for Lunch

    Close view of a green anole facing downward on a red brick wall, with a blurred coleus flower spike in the foreground.
    Insects beware! This looks like a good spot to wait for lunch.

    The Coleus Lunch Counter

    A green anole stretches across brick behind a coleus flower spike, with green and purple leaves below.
    Look closely. Our guest is just behind the blossoms.
    A green anole angles downward beside a coleus flower spike against red brick; broad leaves fill the lower half.
    The coleus wore green. Our visitor matched it.
    A green anole spreads its feet across a red brick wall beside a coleus leaf, casting a long shadow in strong sunlight.
    That afternoon sun gave him a shadow twice his size.
    A green anole clings to brick above layered coleus leaves, with a pale flower spike at the left edge.
    The green fella seems right at home beside those leaves.
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    A flowering coleus grows beside a red brick wall, where a green anole perches to its right; the edge of a window appears at left.
    So much life right outside our door.
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    THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES

    Meet the Sidewalk Neighbors

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    Neal and I gave that brick wall a little green, and this fellow showed up looking as if he’d reserved a lunch table. Nature is so amazing!

    “Which plant near your door has the busiest guest list?“

    “We planted the coleus. Nature took care of the introductions. Plant a mini urban garden and nature will respond!“

    — Robert

    📍Savannah, Georgia

    Collection
    Silent Sunday, The Holidays, Changing Seasons

    Captured with
    iPhone 12 Pro Max

    Published by
    Robert Snap Spot

  • Create Your Sunshine Mural

    Create Your Sunshine Mural

    Wide view of a long blue roadside mural painted with tropical flowers, green leaves, butterflies, and the words “Create Your Sunshine,” beneath trees and a cloudy sky.

    ROBERT SNAP SPOT

    Create Your Sunshine Mural

    A blue wall, a busy road, and the photo stop I kept promising myself

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    Monday Murals, Public Art, Inspirational

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    One more pass wouldn’t do

    For weeks, this blue wall got only a few seconds of my attention.
    I was driving while Neal read aloud. Darn! The mural slipped past again.
    Finally I decided the camera and I were getting out of the car!

    “If a mural keeps waving at me, sooner or later I wave back.”

    – Robert

    October is here, but those painted flowers on May Street are having none of it. In Florida it is always an eternal Summer! Ha! I was ready for a closer look.

    The colorful mural appears across a broad road beneath tall trees and a cloud-filled sky; a 30 mph sign stands at the left.
    From across May Street, you can see why one quick glance never did it justice.

    The wall finally held still

    We had passed it so many times on our way into St. Augustine. I mean look! Does that not grab your attention. Well maybe at 30 mph you might not have noticed but I did. Now I could stand there and take in the whole painted message.

    Front view of the main mural panel, with “Create Your Sunshine” in black lettering among painted flowers, leaves, birds-of-paradise, and orange-and-black butterflies.
    Finally, all three words in one frame!

    “Create Your Sunshine.” Such a beautiful work of art! And much too long for me to capture properly in one photograph. No Neal, eight photos of the same wall are not a bit excessive!

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    THIS WEEK I NOTICED

    Big Art Behind the Wall

    The painted leaves had real palms and trees rising behind them. From the car, I saw a flash of color. Standing across the road, I could see how the wall fit into its spot. Nature was saying, “Wake up people, I’m the real star here!” I fully believe her!

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    Stopping for the whole thing

    While we were staying in Ponte Vedra, Neal and I frequently crossed the Francis and Mary Usina Bridge into St. Augustine. I do about 95% of the driving, which meant plenty of missed photographic moments. “Yup!” Neal was often reading aloud from one of the books we carry in the car. We’ve read 227 books together that way.

    Wow! What a feat!

    Still, every time that mural flashed past my window, I wanted a turn with the scenery.

    Left section of the blue mural showing a large yellow flower, a reddish flower, tropical foliage, part of the lettering, and one butterfly.
    flower, tropical foliage, part of the lettering, and one butterfly. That yellow flower had been waving at me on every drive past.

    On our way back to the condo that day, I turned to Neal before the intersection. “I will be pulling the car over on the next side road. You stay in the car, but I will get out to capture the mural. ” Yes, I had made up my mind!” Neal stayed with the car and his book while I went after the pictures.

    It was a busy spot, with locals and vacationers coming and going near the bridge. I waited for a break in traffic, did a little hop-and-skipping across the road, and suddenly that few-second glimpse was right in front of me. I photographed the mural in segments so I could bring home the flowers, butterflies, words, and all.

    Central mural section with the complete phrase “Create Your Sunshine,” two orange-and-black butterflies, tropical leaves, and painted flowers.
    The butterflies made sure I stopped for another picture.
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    Take some sunshine home

    Right-hand section of the blue mural filled with large orange and pink flowers, green leaves, and a painted bird-of-paradise.
    The message ended, but the flowers kept going.
    Far right end of the mural, with pink and pale flowers, tropical leaves, and “#STAFUNky” painted on the large pink flower.
    And there, tucked into the last flower, was the tag I nearly missed.

    Even the far end of the wall had more to show me. Look closely at the big pink flower: that’s where I found #STAFUNky. The mural was created by the local creative duo STAFUNky (Samantha Norrell and her team).

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    Angled close view of the mural’s large pink flower bearing the white “#STAFUNky” tag, beside smaller flowers and green leaves.
    One last look before I headed back to Neal and the car.

    Okay, done! Time to play “dodge-car” once more. Then it was back to Neal, our book, and the drive home. Thanks wonder wall. I brought a little of your sunshine home.

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    THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES

    Carry one bright thing

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    A roadside mural interrupted my usual drive in the nicest way. I’m keeping its color with me this week.

    What brought you sunshine this week?

    ““My to-do list never asked for a mural, but I came home happier with one in my camera.””

    — Robert

    📍 Saint Augustine, Florida

    Collection
    Monday Murals, Public Art, Inspirational

    Captured with
    iPhone 15 Pro Max

    Published by
    Robert Snap Spot

  • Last photos I took for September 2026

    Last photos I took for September 2026

    ROBERT SNAP SPOT

    Last photos I took for September 2026

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    Last on the Card – Last Photo of the Month

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     “The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.”

    Dorothea Lange

    Let’s take a peek, these are my last photos on the card.

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    From my iPhone 15 Pro Max.

    While staying in Ponte Vedra, Florida Neal and I frequently crossed over a bridge and into Saint Augustine. There I would see this beautiful mural, only problem… Robert does 95% of the driving which means photographic moments were missed.

    This day I told Neal ahead of time, “I will be pulling the car down a side road and then get out to capture the mural.”

    Colorful tropical flowers and green leaves painted on a blue garden wall in Saint Augustine, with large trees and Spanish moss behind it.
    “Neal, I’m pulling over for this one!” Finally, a closer look at that mural in Saint Augustine.

    From my iPhone 18 Pro Max.

    September had me saying goodbye to my 15 Pro Max, 3 years of great photography. Hello new 18 Pro Max, thanks to a trade-in.

    A Day trip to historic downtown Augusta, Georgia meant lots to see walking the Augusta Riverwalk. Heading out of town I snapped the last photo of the day. Street Lamp, Window and Brick.

    Black street lamp in front of a tall window with white interior shutters, surrounded by weathered pale brick and cracked stonework in Augusta.
    Street Lamp, Window and Brick. One last photo before leaving Augusta—with my new iPhone!
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    Last on the Card Challenge

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    From my Canon EOS R100.

    Standing on the 5th Street pedestrian bridge in Augusta gave me some fantastic views of the Savannah River. Here along the river, Augusta is on the Georgia side and North Augusta is across the water in South Carolina.

    A white cabin boat and smaller pontoon boat moored beside a wooded Savannah River bank, with a sloping dock walkway and rusty steel truss bridge behind them.
    Imagine walking down to the river and choosing between two boats. Neal, which one are we taking?

    I can see the houses and their boat docks from the riverwalk. Image walking down to the river and choosing between two boats.

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    THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES

    Exercise Your Photographer’s Eye

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    Ok photogs, I have to get back to “snappin” some pics. Looking forward to an amazing month! Laters!

    “What caught your eye last month or even right now? Tell me about it.”

    “Notice what is near. Reflect on what it awakens. Wander long enough for the ordinary to become unexpected. Oh yeah, take a camera with you!!!”

    — Robert

    📍Augusta, Georgia

    📍St, Augustine, Florida

    Collection
    Last on the Card

    Captured with
    iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 18 Pro Max, Canon EOS R100

    Published by
    Robert Snap Spot

  • Spooky on the Ledge

    Spooky on the Ledge

    Black Venom plush seated on a brick window ledge beside weathered white trim and closed blinds, with a broad view of the red brick wall.

    ROBERT SNAP SPOT

    Spooky on the Ledge

    Someone’s on Neighborhood Watch!

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    Silent Sunday – The Holidays – Changing Seasons

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    Keeping an Eye on Downtown

    Three-quarter view of a black Venom plush on a brick ledge, showing white eyes, stitched pointed teeth, and a white spider emblem.
    Downtown patrol. Apparently, this is a sit-down job.
    Close view of a black Venom plush with a tilted head, white eyes, a toothy stitched grin, and a white spider emblem against peeling window trim.
    All those teeth, and I’m still thinking hugs!
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    THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES

    Meet Your Ledge Neighbor

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    I’m willing to give this fellow a friendly hello. Tell me who’s moved into your neighborhood for October. I’ll keep an eye on the ledges around here.

    “Which October neighbor deserves an introduction?“

    “Life keeps introducing me to downtown characters. This one came with stuffing.”

    — Robert

    📍Savannah, Georgia

    Collection
    Silent Sunday, The Holidays, Changing Seasons

    Captured with
    iPhone 12 Pro Max

    Published by
    Robert Snap Spot

  • The Snap Spot Podcast Episode 8: Reflecting Pool at the Botanical Gardens

    The Snap Spot Podcast Episode 8: Reflecting Pool at the Botanical Gardens

    ROBERT SNAP SPOT · LISTEN

    The Snap Spot Podcast Episode 8: Reflecting Pool at the Botanical Gardens

    All those flowers, and look who caught my eye!

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    Photography Podcast · Reflection Photography · Botanical Gardens

    Read the original post · August 18, 2023

    Wide view of Neal in a cap leaning over a rectangular reflecting pool, with his reflection, wooden posts, climbing vines, and garden chairs visible.

    All those plants to photograph, and look who caught my eye!

    A note before listening

    This episode is an AI-generated conversation between Pip and Mara, based on my original post, “Reflecting Pool at the Botanical Gardens,” published August 18, 2023.

    The man beside the pool is my husband, Neal. In the original post, I play with the idea of Neal greeting his own reflection. Keep that playful spirit in mind as the hosts discuss those lines.

    The transcript follows the generated audio. My reflections and photograph captions are additions for this page.

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    Look who’s in the water

    There were endless flowers and plants to photograph at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. Then there was Neal, leaning over the reflecting pool.

    Well, look at that! My husband, looking down at himself, while I found another reason to take his picture.

    I enjoyed giving that reflection a few words in the original post. Now Pip and Mara have quite a bit to say about it too. Come back to the pool with me.

    “I can go looking for flowers and come home with another favorite photograph of Neal.”

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    Hello down there!

    Neal leans over the stone edge of a reflecting pool, extending one hand toward the water, with his reflection beneath him and wooden chairs behind.
    Neal has someone to say hello to. Look down!
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    THIS WEEK I NOTICED

    Those chairs behind him

    Looking at these photographs again, I noticed the wooden chairs behind Neal. I was following his reflection, so they stayed in the background.

    But look at them. A place to sit, right beside the thing that made us stop. I do enjoy a garden that leaves room for rest and “reflection”. Ha, you see what I did there, right?

    Camera down for a minute, Robert. Sit! The flowers can wait.

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    Back beside the pool

    Episode transcript — Pip and Mara

    Pip: Robert Snap Spot — where a reflecting pool becomes a reason to slow down, look closer, and maybe apologize to your own reflection.

    Mara: Today we’re covering one theme from Robert J Jr.: reflection photography, what it means to literally and figuratively see what’s always been in front of you, set against a visit to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens.

    Pip: Let’s start with the pool itself.

    Reflecting Pool at the Botanical Gardens

    Mara: Reflection photography, as a genre, is straightforward on paper — any shot that uses a reflective surface. But this post turns that technical definition into something more personal: a prompt to notice what you’ve been walking past.

    Pip: The post sets up a moment at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens where the subject isn’t the flowers or the plants — it’s a person reflected back in the water. The quote that anchors it comes from Neal, caught in that reflection: “I was here all the time!”

    Mara: That’s the whole argument in four words. The botanical gardens offered endless flora to photograph, but the shot that landed was the one that said someone familiar had been present and visible the whole time — you just hadn’t framed it that way yet.

    Pip: Reflection photography as a genre usually gets discussed in terms of symmetry and light. This post uses it to talk about attention — what we actually see versus what we walk past assuming we already know it.

    Mara: The post pairs that with a second quote from Neal, addressed to his own reflection: “I’m sorry if I haven’t taken the time to be kind to you today.” That shifts the frame again — from noticing others to noticing yourself.

    Pip: A botanical garden full of flowers, and the shot that sticks is a man talking to his own reflection. That’s either very zen or very Tuesday in Atlanta.

    Another Look at Neal

    Neal stands behind a reflecting pool with his hands in his jacket pockets, his figure mirrored in the water beneath him.
    There he is. My husband, twice in one photograph!
    Neal’s upside-down reflection fills the pool beneath his hands on the stone rim, alongside reflections of wooden posts and branches.
    The face is in the water. The hands tell you where to look.

    Mara: The post closes with a genuine question for the reader: what are some things you feel like reflecting on, or need to look back at again, to look closer and actually see this time. It’s an invitation, not a rhetorical flourish.

    Pip: The whole piece sits inside a larger idea the post names early — that “happy places” in photos let you escape back into joy you already lived. The pool isn’t just a compositional trick. It’s a reason to go back.

    Mara: And that’s the through-line: reflection photography as a practice of return, not just a technique.

    A familiar hand

    Close-up of Neal’s outstretched hand with a wedding ring beside the pool’s stone edge, mirrored in the dark water below.
    That familiar hand, with another view just below it.

    Pip: Turns out a reflecting pool is less about the water and more about what you’re willing to see in it.

    Mara: Next time — more from Robert Snap Spot, more reasons to look closer at what’s already there.

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    THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES

    Come walk awhile with me.

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    When I’m walking with someone, I can get so busy looking for a photograph that I forget to notice the person beside me. This time, an older photograph brought me back to Neal beside the pool. Tell me about a place you like to return to, on foot or in a photograph.

    Where would you take us on our next walk?

    “If there is a garden, a trail or back alley, I’ll go camera in hand, to see what I can find.”

    — Robert

    Photographed at
    Atlanta Botanical Gardens, Atlanta, Georgia

    Collection
    The Snap Spot Podcast · Episode 8

    Original story published August 18, 2023

    Photography and editorial reflections
    Robert Snap Spot

  • Waiting for Halloween

    Waiting for Halloween

    Halloween skeleton seated on a white porch railing beside a column and trailing flowers, with brickwork and dark shutters behind it.

    ROBERT SNAP SPOT

    Waiting for Halloween

    Savannah’s skeletons have taken the afternoon off. No photos please!

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    Humor – The Holidays – Changing Seasons

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    Well, There Goes the Neighborhood!

    Just minding my business walking back to my car, iPhone in hand of course, I hear “clacking bones” from up on a balcony… Hmmm?

    Look at him! Sitting beside the flowers, one leg dangling, making himself comfortable. October has officially arrived, and apparently Savannah’s skeletons are allowed out before supper.

    I’m trying to enjoy a normal daytime walk. He seems to be enjoying a much longer retirement.

    “Good afternoon. Lovely weather for those of us who no longer need sunscreen.”

    – Skeleton Friend

    I can almost hear that bony jaw working as I pass. “No press, No photos! It’s my day off!”

    Just a normal October day in Haunted Savannah, where even the Halloween decorations look like they know your business.

    Somebody Kicked Off the Covers

    Those broken pieces got my imagination going. Ok, walking through old church graveyards tends to play with the mind. What if a restless resident had thrown back the bedclothes and announced, “Enough lying around. I’m going out!”

    A weathered grave marker lies flat in several broken sections on dark gravel, its pale surface catching the sunlight.
    In my October imagination, somebody has kicked off the covers.

    Of course, the photograph tells me nothing about how the stone broke. The afternoon escape is my doing. October gets into my head that way! Ask Neal about the month and it’s all apples, leaves, and North Georgia mountain cabins. Hey, give me them too!

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    THIS WEEK I NOTICED

    The Spirits Are Restless!

    October changes where I point the camera. A flower box gets my attention, then I notice who is sitting beside it. Now I’m checking the other windows! Somewhere in my imagined Savannah, a vampire is trying to bring home the groceries without becoming the subject of a photo essay. “Sorry, neighbor!” That cape caught my eye. “Click!”

    The Dead Have Errands, Too

    Once I give that skeleton a voice, the whole neighborhood starts talking. His bony jaws clacking along to jazz drifting up from River Street, somebody complaining about the sun, and a vampire asking whether the Spanish moss provides enough shade to get to the next block. Ha! A jack-o’-lantern on a veranda would surely have an opinion. “You should have brought a hat.” Well! Even now the pumpkins are giving advice.

    “We tried resting in peace. Lovely idea. Terrible social life.”

    – Skeleton Friend

    There is an old Irish tale, The Adventures of Nera, in which a reanimated corpse needs help finding a drink. Yes, readers, I looked it up! The Library of Congress includes it in its discussion of Halloween folklore. Apparently, getting up for refreshments has a much longer history than I realized. In my Savannah version, somebody has introduced the departed to chicory coffee. That would explain all the restless activity!(Library of Congress)

    I’m picturing a few residents of Halloween Town taking a southern vacation, with some of the Nightbreed crowd finally finding a neighborhood where nobody fusses about appearances. Pull up a chair. Mind the loose femur. I can enjoy this delightfully dreadful masquerade while the sun is out, taking photographs and inventing conversations. When the porch lights come on, those folks can entertain themselves. I have already given my imagination quite enough material for bedtime.

    Savannah is Haunted Y’all!

    A tall, weathered headstone with a curved top stands in deep shadow, with smaller upright markers behind it and fallen stone fragments to the right.
    I’ll read what I can from here. Knocking seems unnecessary.

    This headstone, at least, is still standing where I expect it to be. I’ll accept that bit of reassurance and keep walking before my imagination supplies footsteps.

    THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES

    Tell Me Who Lives Upstairs

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    That balcony sitter looks far too settled to remain a nameless decoration. Help me give him a proper Savannah introduction before our next walk.

    What’s his name, and what’s the neighborhood gossip?

    ““I walk Savannah in daylight to keep the night terrors out of my bedtime. I do wish they’d stop waving from the balconies.”

    — Robert

    📍Haunted Savannah, Georgia

    Collection
    Humor, The Holidays, Changing Seasons

    Captured with
    iPhone 18 Pro Max

    Published by
    Robert Snap Spot

  • A Message for October

    A Message for October

    Two lit pillar candles against a dark background, with the nearer flame in sharp focus and the second candle behind it.

    ROBERT SNAP SPOT

    A Message for October

    A candle lit, a prayer offered, and October welcomed with hope

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    Thoughtful Thursday – Motivational – Changing Seasons

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    Light a Candle With Me

    A prayer arrived in a text message this morning, and I wanted to share it with you.

    October is here!

    Before I get carried away with pumpkins and fall photographs, I’m lighting a candle.

    There are people I want to hold in this prayer. You probably have someone in mind, too.

    “I’ll light the candle. Bring the names you’re holding in your heart.”

    – Robert

    Read these words with me, at your own pace.
    There’s room here for your prayer alongside mine.

    October prayer graphic beside an illustration of Buddha with palms together, asking for healing, restoration, joy, love, food, and world peace. Full prayer transcribed nearby.
    This morning’s text message was something I wanted to pass along.
    I Begin This Month with a Special Prayer:
    May the broken be healed, may the sick be restored,
    may joy return to those in despair, may the lonely find love,
    may the hungry be fed, and may our world be at peace.

    October, Take My Gift

    Here I am in Vinings, Georgia, seated among the pumpkins with one held out toward you.
    “I am offering October a gift… take it.” Yes, the pumpkin comes with a prayer! TIB: (It was not the lightest pumpkin I chose to hold. Smiling but giving the guns a workout, hurry Neal!)

    A smiling man wearing sunglasses sits on a white bench and holds out an orange pumpkin beside yellow flowers and a Pumpkin Patch sign.
    Here, October. I picked out something you might like!

    Could October bring healing? I’m welcoming it with that hope. And apparently, I’ve brought a pumpkin big enough for the occasion! Oh, I’m sorry, did you want…? There are plenty left in this patch.

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    THIS WEEK I NOTICED

    Someone Made Room for Us

    Look at that bench beside the fall display. Someone arranged the pumpkins and flowers, then left a place for us to sit among them. I appreciate that. When there’s a seat, I’m more likely to stay awhile and notice what I would have walked right past.

    A Place to Sit With Hope

    Fall is on full display in this shared space in Vinings, Georgia. Pumpkins gather around an old mantel, dried cornstalks stand on either side, and yellow and orange flowers catch the sunlight. Plenty of green remains in the trees. October has brought its decorations, and I’ve found myself a seat!

    So beautiful, huh?

    Pumpkins and gourds surround a weathered white mantel outdoors, with dried cornstalks, yellow and orange flowers, a straw bale, and nearby benches.
    Whoever arranged all this knew how to get me to stop.

    The prayer gives me plenty to sit with, too. Healing for the broken. Restoration for the sick. Joy finding its way back to someone in despair. I want the lonely to find love, the hungry to have enough to eat, and our world to be at peace. That last request is a big one. I’m leaving it in.

    A nearby koi pond glimmers, and there are those October colors again, moving beneath the water. Orange, gold, patches of red. Look at them! Watching the koi, I think about the strength it takes to keep going when life is difficult. I can offer a prayer, and I can also call someone who feels alone or help put a meal on a table. I’d like to carry those words with me after the candle burns down.

    Orange, white, and patterned koi swim in a rock-lined pond around a submerged round container filled with stones.
    A seat among the pumpkins, then a stop beside the pond. I’m settling in.

    This is such a wondrous place! Serene imagery like tranquil koi ponds or peaceful nature inspire calm and mindfulness. This community knew what they were doing here! No wonder Neal and I were drawn to this spot.

    October, Receive These Gifts

    Welcome, October; take my gifts of hope and prayer, with a few borrowed colors from the pond.

    A large orange-and-black koi swims beside a smaller white koi with a red patch on its head above the green pond bottom.
    One dressed boldly for fall, the other wearing just a dab of red.
    A golden koi with long, flowing fins swims among white, orange, and red-and-black koi in sunlit pond water.
    Those fins! Now you know why there’s another koi photograph.

    The orange-and-black koi looks dressed for October already. Then those flowing fins pass through the frame, and I’m quite happy to stay for another photograph. Just how do they match the colors we associate with this time of year so well?

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    Orange, gold, black, and white koi gather beneath rippling reflections, with a golden fish facing a white-and-black fish near the center.
    I’ll stay for one more look. You’re welcome to stay with me.

    I’ll leave you beside the pond for a moment, with the colors still moving through the water.
    Take whichever words of the prayer you need today. I’m carrying “may our world be at peace.” We all need a little peace right now!

    THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES

    What Shall We Give October?

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    I’ve offered October my prayer. Tell me what you’re hoping to give this month, or what you’re hoping it will bring you. Come sit with me again as the month unfolds; I’d love to hear how things are going.

    What are you hoping October brings?

    “October has its colors, and I have my prayer. This season, I’m making room for both.”

    — Robert

    📍Vinings, Atlanta, Georgia

    Collection
    Thoughtful Thursday, Motivational, Changing Seasons

    Captured with
    Canon EOS Rebel SL1, iPhone 8 Plus

    Published by
    Robert Snap Spot

  • Welcome Aboard

    Welcome Aboard

    Goose statue wearing aviator sunglasses, a white sailor cap, and a Scenic Boat Tour life ring, with docked boats behind it.

    ROBERT SNAP SPOT

    Welcome Aboard

    Watch that first step please!

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    Wordless Wednesday – Lakes – Travel

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    Aye Aye, Captain!

    Close-up of a goose statue wearing mirrored aviator sunglasses and a white cap with an anchor emblem.
    “I’m watching you. Mind that first step!”

    Dressed for Dockside Duty

    Low-angle view of a goose statue in sunglasses, a sailor cap, and a white life ring against blue sky, clouds, and leafy branches.
    Even the captain has a “MOM” tattoo!
    Goose statue with sunglasses and a Scenic Boat Tour life ring perched at a roof’s edge, with lake water beyond.
    “You go ahead. I’ll keep an eye on things here.”
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    Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour sign above wooden dock posts, with white boat benches and orange life jackets beneath the seats.
    Neal booked the tour. Now, where shall we sit?
    Wooden steps and handrails lead to a dock between tour boats, with a Scenic Boat Tour sign and a calm lake beneath large white clouds.
    All right, Neal. I’m coming!
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    THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES

    Keeping the Family Close

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    There is something comforting about watching a family move together giving the young enough room to learn while never getting too far ahead.

    “What did someone once teach you simply by letting you follow along?”

    “The young may have to make the journey for themselves, but it helps when someone they trust has already shown them how to begin.”

    — Robert

    📍 Chattanooga, Battery Place, Tennessee

    Collection
    Wordless Wednesday, Water Water Everywhere, Wildlife: Birds of the Air

    Captured with
    Canon D3200

    Published by
    Robert Snap Spot