We saw Santa riding by…

…as we were sampling jellies and jams. Alas, Santa didn't as much as glance at us.

Brass Farthing singer

On our way to the Dickens Fair, we spent the BART trip chatting with a performer. He turned out to be a sixth of the Brass Farthing, and thus we had extra reasons to go and listen to their performance.

SF Slim looking grimy

While Susanne was here over Thanksgiving, we went to the Dickens Fair. Many wondrous things were seen, and sampled, and we even met up with SF Slim.

Red fountain

I leave for a few weeks, and when I get back — the Stanford fountains are suddenly flowing red.

Shadow and light

The billowing shape of the cathedral at the top of Geary reflects in the gentle curve of the shadow cast along the cathedral.

The Berlin Train

The Berlin Train — from below. This is one of the two DC-9 airplanes standing on display at the air bridge memorial in Frankfurt.

In Berlin, at Tempelhof, there is a monument standing to commemorate the air bridge between Frankfurt and Berlin-Tempelhof to keep West Berlin sustained during the height of the cold war.

The counterpart, with the other bridge head, stands just east of Frankfurt/Main international airport, together with two of the airplanes used: the Rosinenbomber and The Berlin Bridge.

Airport fence

A study in repetition, sliding from green to red, and from here to away.

Monochromatic aircraft

Much like yesterday's photo, this was shot just outside the airport area in FRA, just as a flight was coming in for its touch-down.

Flying over me

My last night in Germany was spent in the InterCity Hotel at FRA — and this enabled me to go to the Runway Observation Spot just east of the airport.

This one was shot right in line with the runway, just as a flight was coming in for touch-down.

Arriving with the sun

Taxiing in against the deep red of the early morning sun.

Arriving in Amsterdam

As we bus from the cityhopper to the terminal, I notice more planes taxiing in as the sun slowly crawls up over the horizon. Travellers race the sun to the Land Under Water.

Swan fountain

In the Kaiserslautern old town.

Neon office

A neon light traces through this office building at TU Kaiserslautern — through the lower story conference room as well as the upper story office room.

Tree vs. infrastructure

A single small tree, keeping its stand against the infrastructure surrounding it and pounding it with train trailwinds day after day after day.

Looming skyscraper

Dark and imposing, against an angry sky, this skyscraper looms over Mannheim train station.

Walk without rhythm

A bird passing overhead attracts the attention of the vicious, and fast, burrowing predator worm. It dislodges the earth as it speeds through to its chosen point of attack, where it suddenly bursts up through the thin shell of the earth, lunging up and spraying the air above it to stun the bird into falling down into its bushy head of micromanipulators, waiting hungrily to rip it to pieces and shove the raw bird carcass down into the worm's maw for later devouring.

Either that, or it's a kind of arid climate plant that has bloomed out.

Stanford foliage, 2/2

Stepping outside, we get closer to the bright autumn colours.

Stanford foliage, 1/2

Peeking out at the crisp and colourful foliage.

Brian White, rollerblader

Also, esteemed Stanford mathematician.

Palo Alto leaf peeping

The Sheraton hotel in Palo Alto has colourful choices in parking lot foliage.

Leafy gradient

Admittedly, if you click through and double check the photo date, this is a bit of a cheat — I didn't get around to emptying out my point'n'shoot in time, and thus, the 7 day period I gave myself was already gone by the time I got to this photo.

However, I really love the motif, and rather like the resulting photo, so this once I'll break my own rules.

View from my window

Woke up early, due to jet-lag and a beepily malfunctioning fire alarm, I look out the window and the sunlight is that gorgeous golden honey, lazily rolling over hills and valleys, glooping along at the slow speed of light. Of course, I do my best to capture the sight as I see it.

A Huron river portrait

Again, a mediocre colour picture is sublime in black and white.

Don't blink, she'll lunge

Another gorgeous costume — this one carried by Di — at the halloween party.

Watch the cards, not the shark

One of the most excellent costumes we saw at our Halloween party.

A riverside park bridge

Another study in patterns of light and shadow.

Halloween murder!

Crime scene Ypsilanti. The victim? Eviscerated. The perpetrator? Standing over his victim, still laughing maniacally.

It's a harsh harsh world for a pumpkin out there.

An inverted world

The view out my dear wife's bedroom window.

For this one, I was too late

You might not spot it, but this tree sports a pink ribbon. My original plan for this picture was to desaturate everything else, and call it “Barren, and concerned about cancer.” but it didn't work out — which might just be for the best.