Random Oct. 3 photos

Was hoping to catch more butterflies in pixels today, but only managed a smudgy shot of a monarch outside the office window. It is exciting to see the varieties of golden rods continue to mature. We hope their beautiful chrome yellow blooms will attract monarchs as they make their long flight south.

The slanting fall sun caught the tops of a couple of native plants and later, there was a plume of smoke that arose straight up, framed by the darkening red of the sunset.

MONARCH -- Monarch visits flowers outside the office window.

BRIGHT -- The tops of these plants catch the last of the afternoon sun.

PLUME -- This plume resembles the volanoes of the imagination of my childhood, except for the slight leftward lean.

HELLO -- Fence lizard peers back at the photographer.