And here we are, the final quarter of 2021. Overall I feel pretty good about it, though I can’t really think of anything specific to say about it, other than: “it was a quarter.” 😀

Let’s take a quick look back, see if I managed to get anything done.

Photography

Looking back at the photos from this quarter I realize there’s virtually no sky in any of them. Of course a good reason for that might be that most of the photos were created under the cover of trees. One side of me thinks that may be a message to start getting back to some of the more open locations. But another side of me is perfectly content with how things turned out. I love spending time in the woods and have always been someone who prefers the closed in and comforting spaces within a forest over places like wide open coastal beaches. I will visit both. And I love photographs of both. But I feel happier and more comfortable under the trees.

Below are links back to this quarter’s posts. Check them out if you missed any or just want to revisit.

Field Notes Updates

Ebony Jewelwing

Holidays

Happy Halloween 2021

Mostly Photos

Autumnal Fungi on the Forest Floor

Maple Leaves in Autumn - 2 Perspectives

A Canvas of Fallen Leaves

Autumn’s Last Gasp

Lines of Light and Shadow in a Late Fall Forest

Photo Failures

When Autofocus Fails Us

Promotions

2021 Holiday Promotions

Random Thoughts

Moss and Lichen on the Forest Floor

Captured Falling Leaves

Reviews - Fiction

These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant

Story Behind Image

South Fork Quantico Creek, October 2021

Trip Report

A Return Visit to Voorhees Nature Preserve

Reading

I was very pleased with some of the books I had the good fortune to read this quarter. There weren’t any that thoroughly disappointed me and there were some that I absolutely loved. Below are the books I read with a little description of my favorites. The books in the photo are in the order I read them, most recent first.

The Poison Prince (Hostage of Empire #2) by S.C. Emmett

This was probably my favorite read of the quarter. There’s just something about the world and cultures Emmett has created, I love returning to them. It’s a fantasy story but so far one without any apparent magic or creatures. It feels more like historical fiction full of court drama and politics, things I’m typically not interested in. And yet here I find myself absolutely craving them. I can’t wait to read the final book of the series.

Elder Race by Adrian Tchaikovsky

I’ve had good luck so far with Tchaikovsky’s work, though I’ve only read his shorter novellas so far. This story takes place on a planet that was colonized long ago by humanity and is studied by a lone archaeologist who’s not supposed to interfere, just to study. But his technology makes him appear as a great sorcerer to the local people and when one of them comes knocking on his door asking for his help he’s left with a decision to make. Fantastic story!

Pale Blue Dot by Carl Sagan

Each time I read something by Carl Sagan I’m reminded of what a treasure he was to the world of science, someone who could communicate with both scientists and the general public and who was capable of making the public understand why some things matter. In this book he explores the questions of our place in the cosmos, whether we should remain here on our planet of birth or whether there’s value in attempting to live elsewhere. It’s fascinating seeing him argue with himself as he explores the questions and potential answers.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

This might actually be my first time reading this classic Christmas story. Why did I wait so long?!?! This was such a treat. A cautionary tale, but also one of redemption. I can see why it is a favorite of so many people, and I could see myself rereading this each year before Christmas.

The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings #1) by J.R.R. Tolkien

Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings is one of my favorite books of all time and I’ve read it many times, both as paper and as audiobook. This time around, because there was a newly released audiobook edition narrated by Andy Serkis, who played Gollum in the movies, I decided to listen to the new audiobook while also reading along to one of my hardcover copies. And I loved this experience. It reminded me a bit of being back in school when the teacher or students would read aloud while the rest of the class followed along in the book. And Andy Serkis does an absolutely incredible job narrating. Highly recommended. I can’t wait to continue on to the last two sections (The Two Towers and The Return of the King).

Movies

This was a slow quarter for movies. I really didn’t watch as much as usual and stuck mostly to movies I’d already seen. Given that Halloween fell in this quarter I was drawn to horror movies. I decided to rewatch Resident Evil which I’ve always enjoyed. I bought Sleepy Hollow long ago but never watched it, so decided to this year. And I went back to one of the first Japanese horror movies I watched, Ringu (The Ring). It was fun watching again.

But my favorite movie of the quarter was a rewatch of Tokyo Godfathers, an anime by Satoshi Kon. You could think of it as a Christmas movie, of sorts, taking place on Christmas Eve and dealing with the sorts of hopeful and healing topics that so many great Christmas movies do. In this case a group of three homeless friends are shocked when looking through some garbage they find an abandoned baby on Christmas Eve. The anime then tells the story of what happens next.

Music

This has been a very good quarter for music. I’ve listened to a lot of music that was new to me. In some cases the music, itself, was new, but in many I was just late to the party, which is often the case. I found myself absolutely loving so many new songs it was very difficult choosing just three (or four) to share.

Much of the music I’ve been listening to is German and one of the bands I really enjoy is dArtagnan, who label themselves as Musketeer rock. Watch enough of their videos and you’ll know why. I love their sound, and one I’ve really enjoyed lately is Farewell, which guest stars Patty Gurdy singing and playing her hurdy-gurdy. The lead singer is also a member of the band Feuerschwanz, who have a harder sound but who I also highly recommend.

A new discovery to me is the band Ad Infinitum started by Melissa Bonny of Switzerland and with band members from Germany and Sweden. I’m really enjoying their style of music and I love her voice, which is often very melodic but she’s also capable of distorted growls when she wants to (though I’m most drawn to the melodic). The video for the song Inferno was released this quarter.

Ok, so I couldn’t mention Feuerschwanz above without also sharing a newly released video they put together, along with guest singers Thomas Winkler, Saltatio Mortis and Melissa Bonny. This group usually sings in German but this song, Warriors of the World United, is a cover by Manowar, so it’s in English. I’ve never listened to the original song but I love this one. The location, costumes, makeup and music have a very epic feel.

Finally, some of you may know how much I enjoy Japanese music. Well, one band I’ve been aware of for a while but hadn’t really spent much time listening to is Man With a Mission. Each member dons a wolf mask during their performances and they’ve even crafted an origin story for the band. But it’s their music I’m most interested in and I’ve found myself listening to their song, yoake, over and over again.

Life

It’s felt like a busy quarter, perhaps because of the holidays and other year end obligations. But it’s also felt like a good quarter. I think I was reasonably productive from a photographic perspective, and I even had the opportunity to participate as a judge in a photography club’s annual competition.

I did struggle with some things. I’ve continued to have trouble making time for my guitar practice, so that’s an area I still want to work on. And there are always the typical areas I can continue to improve on, such as time management. I’ve always been a skilled procrastinator.

Music was a big part of this quarter. I found myself listening to music, and looking for new music, more often than I usually do. It was nice spending a little more time absorbed in it. Listening to music I enjoy can be very similar to reading a book I enjoy. It briefly takes me to another world, lets me experience something different from what I could on my own, and I very much enjoy that.

What about you? Have did you feel about your quarter? Are you ready for 2022? Let me know in the comments below.

And stop by again on the 30th and 31st for my favorite photos of 2021 and my favorite books and movies of 2021.

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